Down on the Farm: Mariners Minor League Check-in

The sample sizes are rising, so we are starting to get a clearer picture of the Mariners' farm system. The resounding descriptive word that comes to mind is depth. There is plenty of depth up and down the ladder. Well, start at Cheney Stadium, where the Tacoma offense has cooled, but the pitching is trending upward. 

Tacoma Rainiers 

18-21 (4th in PCL West)

The offense carried the Rainiers over the first few weeks of the season, and now the bats have gone cold. Once considered a possible mid-season callup, Cade Marlowe is mired in a slump that saw him strike out 12 times in the last series. The strikeouts were always a concern, but early season numbers pointed to an adjusted approach. Maybe he is pressing, or the league is catching up; time will tell. For the Mariners' sake, the team could use a skillset. 

If the team is going to pull out of this funk, they'll have to get Mike Ford, Bryan O'Keefe, and to a less extent, Mason McCoy going because the pitching can't sustain their current performance. Positive contributors included Zach Deloach (.267/.388/.785), who continues to showcase the ability to get on base, and Jake Scheiner (team-leading 12 homers).

Veteran southpaw Tommy Milone continues to live up to the 'crafty lefty' moniker. His latest start was the only bright spot from the rotation. Milone spun five innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts. Relievers Matt Festa and Riley O'Brien continue to lock down the late innings with their deceptive fastballs and devasting sliders. This could be a massive development as the Mariners look to answer the high-leverage equation due to Andres Munoz extended injured list stint. 

Arkansas Travelers

22-11 (1st in Texas League North) 

A team once deemed pitching-driven by yours truly is now clicking on all sides of the ball. They've won seven games in a row, including a six-game sweep of their in-state rivals, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Mariners Top 15 organizational prospect Jonatan Clase has flashed since his promotion from Everett two weeks ago. The slash line isn't anything to write home about (.256/.311/.410), and the strikeouts are a little high (15), but he's getting timely hits and making noise on the basepaths (9 SB). 

A few more bats that are excelling include Spencer Packard and Robert Perez Jr. Packard continues to pace the team in slash (.329/.421/.902), providing stability in the top half of the lineup. At the same time, Perez is showcasing his loud bat more frequently. 

If Perez can continue this upward trend and the team can get contributions from Leo Rivas and some of the guys at the bottom of the lineup (Kirwer, Unroe), watch out. 

Even though Bryce Miller is now toiling in Seattle, the pitching is still steering the ship. Emerson Hancock has stepped into the ace role and is shoving. The Mariner's number four prospect fired 5 2/3 of 1 run ball while racking up ten punchouts. On the heels of Hancock's start, Bryan Woo took a perfect game into the seventh, flashing his elite command and high-rising four-seam fastball. Woo parlayed that start into a Texas League Pitcher of the Week award. 

Standout relievers are plenty, but my vote goes to the recently promoted Ty Adcock, who has plenty of helium after his Arizona Fall League performance. Adcock is already getting high-leverage work for manager Mike Freeman's club, and he's picking up his first two saves this week. Keep an eye on Prelander Berroa's transition to the pen as well. He could be an exciting addition to the major league club later in the season.

Everett Aquasox 

16-16 (4th in Northwest League) 

Led by a dynamic one-two punch of Harry Ford and Tyler Locklear, the Aquasox are staying afloat in a competitive Northwest League. Ford, the organization's top prospect, continues to show a keen eye (30 BB/27 K) at the plate and a strong arm behind it. However, the big headline for Ford is cracking his first High-A dinger. 

Meanwhile, Locklear exceeds his prospect status by filling a run-producing role in the Frogs' lineup. He has made massive strides in the box, almost doubling his walk rate between Modesto (5.3%) and Everett (10.4%). In addition, the slugging first baseman is delivering in big run-producing spots thanks to the dynamic Aquasox top of the order (Harry Ford, Ben Ramirez, Hogan Windish). Peek at the Northwest League Leader Board, and you'll see an exciting trend. Six weeks and 125 at-bats into the season, Locklear is in the Top 10 in nearly every major category.

The pitching has been solid in some cases and spectacular with newfound ace Reid VanScooter. The former North Carolina Tarheel is showcasing a four-pitch arsenal with his late-life fastball leading the charge. VanScooter's last start (6 IP, one run, 6 K) was a right-the-ship performance and something he can build upon as he moves up the ladder soon.