Top prospects Ford, Young lead Aquasox into playoffs

The Everett Aquasox roster includes three MLB Pipeline top 100 prospects: Cole Young, Harry Ford, and Gabby Gonzalez. They have fantastic role players like Hogan Windish and a strong starting staff anchored by Reid VanScoter, Brandon Schaeffer, and Raul Alcantara. The Mariners High-A affiliate rode that collection of players to a 40-26 record in the second-half division championship.

They kick off a five-game series with the Vancouver Canadians tonight at Funko Field, with VanScoter taking the ball. The 24-year-old lefty took the Northwest League by storm, leading the circuit in wins (10), games started (25), innings pitched (143.1) and strikeouts (157). VanScoter is on a roll of late, striking out 37 batters in his last five starts and only offering up four free passes. 

Windish profiles like current Mariner first baseman Ty France, who is holding down the cleanup spot and raking this month (.276/.382/.517). Outfielder Bill Knight is also swinging a hot bat, authoring a .300/.391/.600 slash line with two homers and three steals in his last ten games. Adding those two to the high-upside prospects like Cole Young makes a formidable lineup that could bring an NWL championship to Everett. 

The Aquasox split the season series with the Canadians going 12-12, but they are the hotter team going into the playoffs. This series should be a fantastic one that pits evenly matched teams up for the title. Schaeffer and Alcantara will likely toe the rubber for games two and three of the series.