Mariners Minor League Recap, Week 8: May 21 - 26

Ryan Bliss heats up, Ben Williamson likes Double-A just fine, Jonny Farmelo is incandescent

The Mariners have ended their long road trip, but Max has not, so once again you’re stuck with me for the minor-league recap for the week.

Tacoma Rainiers

28-23, 2nd in PCL West

The Rainiers took their series against Las Vegas this week despite losing the services of Jonatan Clase once again, first called up to the taxi squad in case Jorge Polanco’s injury was more serious and then to the big-league club entirely. In exchange, the Rainiers will get an MLB-quality bat in Luis Urías, optioned to Triple-A on Friday with the hopes of getting his bat going with more regular playing time. Urías didn’t take the full amount of time big-leaguers are allotted when being reassigned to the minors, showing up in Tacoma on Saturday with an RBI base hit in a 6-1 win. Before all that, though, the bats picked up a shaky start by Levi Stoudt in the series opener (well, technically Game 2, as the opener was rained out); Bryan Anderson led the way in the run scoring with a two-hit day including a double, and Ryan Bliss also had a two-hit day and stole his 24th base of the season.

The Rainiers split a doubleheader on Thursday, with Dallas Keuchel—still with the team despite reports he’d been granted his release—starting the first of Thursday’s games and again getting some help from his offense to help overcome some early runs given up. The Rainiers scored 16 runs on just 12 hits with three homers (Bliss, Anderson, and Jason Vosler). Tayler Saucedo made a rehab appearance, pitching a scoreless inning with a strikeout. The Rainiers dropped the second game of the doubleheader but got right back after it on Friday, winning 8-3 thanks to a solid start from Jhonathan Díaz, who gave up just two runs in six innings. Cade Marlowe homered in the win, and new acquisition Jake Slaughter had two doubles. A strong start from Casey Lawrence and a Vosler grand slam helped the Rainiers to a win on Saturday despite the offense being one-hit; they worked eight walks off the Aviators in a bullpen day and Marlowe, who had three of those walks, also stole three bases. The bats were quiet again on Sunday, with Ryan Bliss contributing a home run in a 2-6 loss.

Prospect check-in:

Emerson Hancock didn’t have as sharp an outing as he did last time, but turned in a solid effort in Sunday’s loss: five innings pitched with three runs surrendered, two walks and five strikeouts. After hitting just one home run in May up through the 19th, Ryan Bliss has three down the back stretch of the month, with two in this series against Las Vegas; he also had two doubles during the series, matching his total from the month.

Next up: The Rainiers head to Sacramento to check out the future home of the Oakland A’s.

Arkansas Travelers

25-19, 1st in Texas League North

Watch out, the Travs have suddenly soared to the top of the Texas League North. Despite bookending their series against the Corpus Christi Hooks with losses, the Travs climbed up to first place over this series and were a couple of unfortunate bullpen implosions away from a rare sweep. The bullpen spoiled a nice effort from Juan Mercedes in the series opener (five innings and just one run allowed), despite the offense bullying Hooks pitching for ten runs, including three home runs (Harry Ford, Alberto Rodríguez’s first of the year, and Hogan Windish). The Travs bounced back with an extra-innings win the next night, and then Logan Evans held the Hooks scoreless for six innings the night after that, striking out eight and allowing the Travs offense to build a 6-0 lead that would never really be threatened. Speaking of unthreatened leads, the Travs offense scored 17 runs the next night en route to an easy victory; Cole Young, Spencer Packard, and Tyler Locklear all homered, Jake Anchía had two doubles and Ford had a three-hit night with a double.

Saturday’s game was much closer, a 3-2 win helmed by Reid VanScoter, who pitched six innings, allowing just two runs; the bullpen locked things down on the back end. Bens Williamson and Ramirez each had solo homers (Williamson on an inside-the-parker) to support the offense. Not supported: Juan Mercedes, who again twirled a gem (six innings, no runs) only to be let down again by the bullpen. The offense gave it the good old college try, led by a three-hit day from Packard, but came up just short.

Prospect check-in:

Cole Young had a hit in every game he played in this series except the last and homered in back-to-back games to double his season output. Harry Ford continued his hot hitting, with seven hits over the series with two doubles and a home run. Spencer Packard had two three-hit games over the series with a home run. New addition Ben Williamson, playing in his first full Double-A series since being promoted from High-A on May 15, smashed his way through the series with 10 hits, including three doubles and an inside-the-park home run. It will be interesting to see how he continues to adjust at the level as other teams get more of a look at him, but so far, very impressive.

Up next: The Travs return home to face off against the Amarillo Sod Poodles.

Everett AquaSox

20-24, last in Northwest League

Things continue to go suboptimally for the AquaSox, but the Frogs did manage a series split this week against Tri-Cities. Like the Rainiers, the AquaSox had their first game postponed due to rain, leading to a doubleheader on Thursday, and got out to a hot start with a 7-1 win in the opener. Brandyn Garcia didn’t allow a run over five innings, walking three and striking out eight. Newly added from Modesto, Caleb Cali had a homer in that game.

However, things got rough for Everett after that, as they dropped both games of Thursday’s doubleheader. Ty Cummings got roughed up for six runs in just two innings; the bullpen allowed three more runs to score, spoiling a solid offensive effort from the bats, who managed six runs on just six hits thanks to home runs from Victor Labrada and Josh Hood. Unfortunately, the bats went quiet in Game 2 of the doubleheader, unable to overcome a four-run deficit in a bullpen game. Things didn’t improve on Friday, with Ryan Hawks getting roughed up for seven runs in four innings as the Frogs dropped their third straight.

After struggling in a repeat of Modesto last year, Michael Morales has been quietly excellent so far this year with Everett. Playing the role of stopper, he turned in a gem of a start on Saturday, allowing one run over six innings, walking three and striking out six. The offense came alive behind Morales, scoring seven runs largely thanks to doubles from Cali, Hood, and Gabriel Moncada. Continuing the theme of strong pitching, Marcelo Perez and Juan Burgos combined for seven innings of three-hit, no-run ball, with a combined 12 strikeouts; Perez alone had eight over four innings. The AquaSox hitters helped out again by taking more walks than they struck out, scoring five runs on just five hits.

Prospect check-in:

In his first full series at the level, Caleb Cali had hits in four of the five games he played in, including his first High-A home run and a double. Repeating High-A at the age of 24, Cuban-born Victor Labrada has finally found his power stroke; he had a double and a home run in limited action this week. Workhorse Brock Rodden just keeps hitting; he had a hit in every game except one this series, including a four-hit game, with two doubles.

Up next: Everett travels to Spokane to face the league-leading Indians.

Modesto Nuts

29-14, 1st in California League North (and in all of the Cal League)

Writing about Modesto is always the carrot at the end of a lengthy minor-league recap. The Nuts came within a game of a rare minor-league sweep this week, with the one game they lost a start against the rehabbing Bobby Miller—although the Nuts did get to him for three runs in three innings.

The Nuts kicked off their week with an 8-5 win where every Nuts hitter except the nine-hole hitter recorded at least one hit; Lazaro Montes had three, including his 10th double already. Montes passed the baton to Luis Suisbel the next night, who had a three-hit night of his own while playing shortstop in place of Tai Peete; both Montes and Suisbel homered in the 5-3 win.

Unsatisfied with such narrow margins of victory, the Nuts erupted the next night for a 14-0 drubbing, propped up by Brady Hopkins’ five shutout innings of work. This time, it was Jonny Farmelo and Michael Arroyo’s turns for three-hit nights; Farmelo was a home run from the cycle and Arroyo a triple from it. Farmelo was the star again in a closer victory on Friday, with a four-hit night including three doubles. Tai Peete also had two hits in his return to the lineup. And stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but it was leadoff hitter Jonny Farmelo again spurring the Nuts to a narrow victory on Sunday, this time recording four hits with three doubles. Farmelo also pitched in another pair of hits, and yet another double, in Sunday’s losing effort. Farmelo’s five doubles this series exceed his total from the rest of the season; the next step will be adding some over-the-fence pop, as he’s still sitting at two homers on the season, both hit in the first three games of the season.

Prospect highlight:

There are so many to choose from in the embarrassment of riches that is Modesto, and Farmelo’s scorching-hot week is an easy choice, but claps must be given to Aidan Smith. Smith had hits in all but one game this series, with three multi-hit games that included two doubles, a triple, and a homer. He also struck out just four times all series while walking nine times. We love a pure hitter with plus plate discipline!

Next up: The Nuts travel to Stockton to take on the Ports.

ACL Mariners

9-7, 2nd in ACL West

This was not a good week for the Baby M’s, who won just one game of the five they played this week and fell out of first place in their division. Their lone win featured some strong pitching from a pair of pitching prospects, as Walter Ford and international signee from the Netherlands, Connor Prins, combined for six innings, allowing two runs and striking out eight combined. Felnin Celesten doubled and Blake Rambusch had a triple in the win.