Mariners Prospect Spotlight: Felnin Celesten earns Arizona Complex League honors

One of the Seattle Mariners' best prospects is one that not all fans may be familiar with. He was one of the highest-priced international free agents coming out of the Dominican Republic and he played his first professional baseball games here in the United States earlier this season. Felnin Celesten is that prospect and he is a soon-to-be 19-year-old switch-hitting shortstop who was having a fantastic season in the Complex League before a nagging wrist injury cut his season short.

During his first stint here in America, Celesten put up a .352/.431/.568 in just over 30 games. He also had 17 extra-base hits, including 3 home runs. It was quite the showing for the teenager and he drew praise from around the game as he was named the Arizona Complex League's best MLB Prospect.

The future is nothing but bright for Celesten. Hopefully, he will be able to return to the field in September to get ready for next season. He will likely follow up on this year's current crop of highly-ranked prospects in Modesto to play for the Nuts. Getting to see him play a full season playing shortstop every day will be fun because he has the talent to become an everyday shortstop at the big league level.

MLB Pipeline had this to say about the potential for Celesten, "The switch-hitting shortstop has even been touted with the highest ceiling of any international shortstop in a decade, including Marco Luciano and Robert Puason." Unfortunately, Luciano and Puason have not turned out to be as good as their organizations hoped at the big league level yet, but Celesten could blow those two out of the water.

Mariners fans, don't forget to keep an eye on what is happening down on the farm. Felnin Celesten might just be one of the most special players to ever come through this farm system. He will need some time before he reaches the majors, but he could be an impact player for the Mariners down the road.