2 Mariners prospects praised in top prospects under 20 years old

This has been an absolute roller coaster of a season for Mariners fans. A team that once held the division lead by 10+ games, now sits on the outside looking in, as the Astros have separated themselves to a 3.5 game lead now with just 28 games left. While the topic for the next month or so will surely revolve around the major league team and lack of offense, as well as newly minted manager, Dan Wilson, there is a lot to be excited about within Seattle's farm system.

I know that it can be hard to be excited about a farm system when the major league club is struggling and have blown a division lead of epic proportions, but there is the potential for some superstars in this system. Fans should be excited about the development as future Mariners as well as the ammunition to go get other stars this upcoming offseason.

With Jerry Dipoto, Justin Hollander, and Scott Hunter absolutely nailing their recent drafts and international signing periods, there is a lot of talent for fans to focus in on. Some of their older draft picks are starting to make their way up the minor league ranks while their more recent picks are starting to flash their immense potential and it is drawing a lot of attention.

Bleacher Report recently came out with an article, "MLB's 25 best prospects 20 years old or younger in 2024", in which quite a few young Mariners prospects were mentioned. Guys like Ryan Sloan, Felnin Celesten, and Jonny Farmelo were awarded with honorable mentions. These three young prospects all feature future star potential and could become legit top 50 prospects by as early as next year.

Mariners farm system honored with 2 of the top 10 prospects under 20 years old

The first Mariners prospect mentioned is the team's number one overall prospect, Colt Emerson. Emerson was the 22nd overall pick in 2023 and instantly rewarded Mariners, demolishing Modesto and rookie ball, slashing .374/.496/.550 with 17 walks and 20 strikeouts. He has continued that in 2024 making his way up to Everett and has slashed .255/.399/.368.

The power numbers aren't great with just three home runs and a .368 slugging percentage, but that's to be expected for a prospect that just turned 19 years old. Perhaps the most impressive part of Emerson's game is his ability to control the zone; the .399 on-base percentage jumps out at you, but the fact that he has more walks (46) than strikeouts (44) this year playing against older competition shows an advanced approach and someone that should become a very good hitter.

The second hitter mentioned is a very different type of player than the Mariners' number one prospect. Lazaro Montes came in as the eighth-best prospect under 20 years old a profile to have a vastly different career. Where Emerson is hit tool over power and offers some athleticism, Montes offers immense power potential, often drawing comparisons to Yordan Alvarez and being crowned "Baby Yordan".

Obviously, those comparisons are lofty, but the young lefty has done his best to live up to the hype. Making his way to Everett with Emerson, Montes has slashed .293/.396/.473 with 17 home runs and 93 RBI in 105 games. For a 19-year-old slugger, his 24% strikeout rate is impressive, especially when you pair it with his near 14% walk rate. Montes has the potential to be the best pure bat the Mariners have developed in a long time and his progress will be followed by all Mariners fans as they dream of having their own Yordan Alvarez to torture Astros fans with.

This time of year gets to be tough. The Mariners have struggled to hold a division lead, Scott Servais is out as the manager and things just can't seem to go right for Seattle. Hopefully focusing on a couple of bright spots on the farm brought a little bit of enjoyment from your Mariners fandom. Now, here's to hoping Dan and Edgar can get this team on track and the offense humming as they push for a division title.