MLB Lists Potential Minor League Breakout Candidates For Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners have one of the best farm systems in all of baseball.
The organization has eight prospects listed in Baseball America's top 100 (the most in the league) and five in MLB Pipeline's top 100.
There's a lot of hype to see what minor leaguers make an impact in 2025 (if any) and what other Seattle prospects take massive steps forward in their development next season.
MLB.com's Mariners beat writer Daniel Kramer posted an article reviewing the organization's farm system. He included three players who "forced their way onto the radar" and and two breakout candidates to monitor for 2025 in the article.
Among Kramer's three players who forced their way on the radar was middle infielder Michael Arroyo, right-handed pitcher Michael Morales and right-handed pitcher Logan Evans.
Arroyo led all MLB prospects 19 years-old or younger with 23 home runs.
Evans made 32 appearances (22 starts) and posted a 3.20 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 107 innings pitched. He's ranked as Seattle's top pitcher according to Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. Aside from 2024 draft picks Jurrangelo Cijntje and Ryan Sloan, who've yet to pitch an inning in the minors.
Morales was the organization's co-minor league pitcher of the year, earning the Jamie Moyer award. He posted a 3.02 ERA in 27 starts with 147 strikeouts in 149 innings pitched.
Michael Morales was UNTOUCHABLE tonight. ❌
— Arkansas Travelers (@ARTravs) August 9, 2024
6.0 IP | 3 H | 0 R | 12 K pic.twitter.com/OtTluZmIpB
Seattle's other co-pitcher of the year was Brandyn Garcia, who was one of Kramer's two breakout candidates to watch.
Garcia is the Mariners' No. 3 pitching prospect according to MLB Pipeline (aside from Sloan and Cijntje). He had a 2.25 ERA in 27 appearances (25 starts) and had 134 strikeouts in 116 innings pitched.
Kramer's other breakout candidate was the aforementioned Sloan.
Seattle went above-slot and signed Sloan, a second-round pick, to a $3 million deal. Sloan wasn't assigned to a minor-league affiliate due to being selected out of high school. Baseball America had the following scouting report for Sloan going into the 2024 draft:
"Sloan is a large right-hander with a 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame and a reliable three-pitch mix. His fastball has trended up and he now sits in the 90-94 mph range and touches 96 from a slot that varies from three-quarters to a lower three-quarters angle. In addition to his fastball, Sloan has a low-80s slider with sweeping shape and spin rates in the 2,500-2,600 rpm range and an 84-87 mph changeup that is a swing-and-miss offering against left-handers. Sloan could improve his delivery and command, but his three-pitch mix is advanced for his age. He is committed to Wake Forest."
Ryan Sloan #55 to the Mariners! pic.twitter.com/TnEpuinxar
— Prospect Dugout (@prospectdugout) July 15, 2024
There's a lot to look forward to for Seattle's prospects. And if things go well, fans will get to see them on the big league stage sooner rather than later.
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