3 college hitters who could become Mariners on Draft Day

James Tibbs

James Tibbs is an offensive-minded outfielder from Florida State who has put up some big numbers for the Seminoles. This past season he hit .363/.488/.777 with 28 home runs, 95 RBI, 58 walks, and 37 strikeouts. He brings a lot of power from the left side of the plate and has gotten on base a lot, which is something that would certainly be welcomed to the Mariners lineup. However, he has questions about his defense in the outfield and is not a great runner.

With uncertainties about Tibbs's chances to play defense at an average or better level, the pressure to be a good big leaguer is placed solely on his ability to hit. If he struggles to hit and is not a good defender then the chances of playing in the big leagues or sticking in the big leagues decreases significantly. That said, no draft prospect is a sure thing and the potential for a middle of the order hitter is exciting.

MLB Pipeline has Tibbs ranked as their 12th best prospect in the draft and had this to say about him, "It will be Tibbs’ bat that gets him drafted in the first few rounds. The left-handed hitter is confident and smart at the plate, with an approach he’s improved over his time at Florida State, cutting his strikeout rate and upping his walk rate considerably from his freshman to his sophomore seasons, and even more so this spring. He punishes fastballs and has been showing the ability to get to his average power and drive the ball to all fields, though he’s struggled more with breaking stuff in the past."

The intrigue of adding a position player to the Mariners farm system that could be in the big leagues before the current big league starting rotation runs out of club control is tantilizing. If Tibbs tears through the minor leagues he could see himself playing right field in T-Mobile Park in 2027 or 2028. The Mariners have done a good job of adding up the middle players like Harry Ford, Cole Young, and Jonny Farmelo so they could afford to add a corner player.