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Mariners Minor League Check-in: Down on the Farm
All six minor league affiliates are full systems go for the 2023 season, with the Arizona Complex League and Dominican Summer League action starting last week. This edition of "Down on the Farm" includes the top performers in the box and on the rubber across the Mariners' minor league system.
Ty France Top Hitter Award
The bats are heating up across the system, with Gabriel Gonzalez, Michael Arroyo, and Zach Deloach leading the way. The former second-round pick, Deloach, leads the Mariner's minor leagues in hits with 67, and Arroyo rode a strong start in the ACL to a quick promotion, but the award must go to Gonzalez.
The 19-year-old outfielder is displaying more in-game power with an adjusted approach centered on using the whole field, and the results are outstanding. This season, Gonzalez has become a hitting machine with 20 multi-hit games, one 4-hit game, and six 3-hit games. He also leads the system in multiple offensive categories, including batting average (.337). He has always had a natural feel for hitting, but the 2020 international signee has stepped up his game in his repeat season with Modesto anchoring an exciting team.
Gabriel Gonzalez RBI single for his 4th hit. pic.twitter.com/EIAohBf2kO
— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) June 14, 2023
Michael Arroyo and Cole Young are at the top of the Modesto Nuts lineup, and Gonzalez will have plenty of run-producing opportunities. This time of year, the Mariners look to reward their advanced hitters for their steady performance with promotions. Look for the Mariners' #7 prospect to join the Everett Aquasox in the next few weeks and possibly an MLB Pipeline Top 100 nod at midseason.
George Kirby Top Starter Award
The starters across the system were shoving this past week. Emerson Hancock fired six strong innings against Corpus Christi. Marcelo Perez flashed his upside for Modesto taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Even youngster Kristian Cardozo stepped up in the ACL, earning his first stateside win. This week we'll give the hardware to the recently promoted Brandon Schaeffer. We wrote about him a couple of weeks ago as a possible promotion candidate, and he didn't disappoint in his debut with the Aquasox.
Twas' quite the debut for Brandon Schaeffer last night. Here is a look at all 10 of his strikeouts as called by the silky smooth sounds of @AquaSoxRadio. pic.twitter.com/XnsZWghidz
— Everett AquaSox (@EverettAquaSox) June 7, 2023
The University of North Carolina alum has a deceptive delivery with a nasty slider he can spot on both sides of the plate. Schaeffer took the California League by storm, leaving the circuit in the Top 10 in earned run average, batting average against, and strikeouts. If you are looking for comparisons, I will throw out former Mariner lefty James Paxton. Schaeffer doesn't have the upper 90s heat, but he can ratchet it up to the mid-90s and snap off sliders and curveballs with the best of them.
The lanky lefty should front the Aquasox rotation for the remainder of the 2023 campaign with a chance to rise quickly through the final rungs of the organizational ladder in 2024.
Andres Munoz Top Reliever Award
The candidates are many. Blake Townsend, recently promoted Ty Adcock, and Rainiers' closer Riley O'Brien all deserve the award. Adcock's story and subsequent ascent from Everett to Seattle in three months is the stuff of legends. But we are leaning into the stats and some positive momentum this week.
The top reliever is Arkansas Travs fireballer Prelander Berroa. We've written extensively about Berroa's upside despite his penchant for free passes (35 IP/30 BB). He flashed in Peoria but always had trouble commanding his dominating stuff. That is the only thing holding the promising Dominican reliever in the minor leagues. Well, it looks like he's turned the corner.
2 strikeouts in a scoreless 8th inning for Prelander Berroa. pic.twitter.com/Bx1LjR5tlM
— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) June 14, 2023
Over the past week, he's only issued two walks in his three scoreless innings of work. The triple-digit heat and a unique biting slider have stymied opposing hitters (BAA .143) and helped the Travs keep pace with the Tulsa Drillers at the top of the Texas League standings.
Manager Scott Servais has packed the Mariner bullpen with high-upside arms (Adcock, Brash, Speier, Saucedo) and no clear opening for Berroa, but we could see him join the team in September for the stretch run. Late-season expanded rosters are the only opening to get him in a Mariner uniform.
These are exciting times down on the farm. If you are near any of the affiliates, catch a game while you can because President of Baseball Operations, Jerry Dipoto, has his finger on the trade trigger, and we might see some of your favorite Baby M's on the move either by promotion or trade.