Noelvi, DeLoach go deep in Minors scrimmage
PEORIA, Ariz. -- They¡¯re still quite a ways off from the Majors, but two top Mariners prospects gave a glimmer of the power in the pipeline that¡¯s on the way.
Leading off a scrimmage against the Padres on Wednesday, outfielder ?Zach DeLoach? connected on a middle-in fastball from Daniel Camarena in an 0-1 count and golfed it way over the right-field wall. Immediately after, infielder ?Noelvi Marte? yanked a belt-high heater and watched it sail over the left-field wall.
Both deep flies evoked a hearty eruption from their teammates in the visiting dugout, all of whom are here for a Minor League minicamp before Minors Spring Training opens on Thursday at the Peoria Sports Complex.
In the grand scheme of things, it was just a practice. But at this time of year, grainy cellphone footage of top prospects on a back field is the type of Internet fodder that fans, scouts and anyone else stoked for the oncoming season salivate over.
Marte enters 2022 as the Mariners¡¯ No. 2 prospect and the No. 11 in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. There¡¯s chatter that he could climb to the top five, perhaps as soon as this season, once the players occupying those spot graduate to the Majors -- and there¡¯s an understandable reason why. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 181 pounds, and obviously still growing, the 20-year-old has been unmistakable to recognize this minicamp for his raw power and physique.
The Dominican Republic native is coming off a year in which he hit .273/.366/.459 (.825 OPS) with 17 homers and 71 RBIs between two affiliates, earning a promotion in September from Low-A Modesto to High-A Everett, where he¡¯ll likely begin 2022, with the opportunity to propel to Double-A Arkansas as the season progresses.
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DeLoach, the club¡¯s No. 6 prospect, is already there, and he¡¯ll return this season looking to find more consistency after hitting .227/.338/.384 (.722 OPS) in 49 games. At Everett, the former Texas A&M standout hit .313/.400/.530 (.930 OPS), which was more reflective of the hitter that Seattle coveted when it selected him with its second-round pick in the shortened 2020 Draft.
Again, Wednesday¡¯s showing was merely a scrimmage. But it was by far the biggest highlight in this camp compromising many of the Majors¡¯ No. 2-ranked farm system.