Mariners Spring Training prospect report

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Mariners placed fifth in MLB Pipeline's new farm system rankings, thanks in large part to their seven Top 100 Prospects. That total ties them with the Cubs for the most in baseball, and all seven of them are hitters.

Don't get the impression that the organization that drafted and developed four-fifths of its formidable big league rotation (Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo) is short on pitching prospects, however. They may be overshadowed by the bats in the system, but Seattle has some talented arms, too.

The Mariners restocked their pitching supply with their top two picks in the 2024 Draft. They spent the 15th overall pick and $4,880,900 on Mississippi State switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (No. 9), then moved some bonus pool money around to come up with $3 million for Illinois high school right-hander Ryan Sloan (No. 8) when he unexpectedly dropped to the middle of the second round. Both will make their pro debuts in April.

Developing Cijntje will be interesting, to say the least. He draws Marcus Stroman comparisons as a righty with a mid-90s fastball, a mid-80s slider and a hard changeup with fade. He has more of a reliever look with a lower slot as a lefty, operating with a low-90s heater and a sweepier low-80s breaking ball.

Cijntje likes pitching with both arms -- he'll work as a righty against some lefties -- and Seattle will see how it plays out.

"We're going to try to be balanced," farm director Justin Toole said. "From a workload standpoint, we're figuring out what it will look like and how he handles it. His velo has ticked up a little this spring, up to 98 right-handed and to 93 left-handed.

"As the spring progresses, we're getting more feel for it. When he was at his best in college, what did that look like and can we try to replicate that?"

Sloan has all the ingredients to be an ace, but the industry's general skittishness about high school arms allowed him to drop further than he should have. He's a strong 6-foot-5, 220-pounder with the potential for three plus pitches (lively mid-90s fastball, advanced mid-80s changeup, sweeping low-80s slider) and good feel for his craft.

"You hear about his velocity, his body and his physicality, and since he has gotten here, the command he has been able to show with his stuff has been exciting," Toole said. "He's a top-of-the-rotation starter type. Everybody in camp is excited about him, whether it's on the Major League or Minor League side."

Beyond those two headliners, righty Logan Evans (No. 10) and lefty Brandyn Garcia (No. 16) added strength in Seattle's high-performance camp during the winter and that could translate into improved stuff. They look like college steals in back-to-back rounds from the 2023 Draft, with Garcia going in the 11th round out of Texas A&M and Evans in the 12th from Pittsburgh. Garcia led the system with a 2.25 ERA while reaching Double-A last season.

"Evans sits 93-95 mph and he can sink it, ride it, cut it and spin it," Toole said. "He has six pitches and can attack hitters with each one. Garcia's sinker is real and he's learning to pitch as a starter."

The Mariners also have several other righties worth monitoring. Michael Morales (third round, 2021) and Ashton Izzi (fourth round, 2022) were seven-figure high-school picks and show mid-rotation potential. Jeter Martinez (No. 17) was one of the best arms in the '23 international class and will make his full-season debut this year.

Teddy McGraw (No. 18) was trending toward the first round in '23 before blowing out his elbow at Wake Forest. Hunter Cranton (No. 24) was nearly 24 when Seattle drafted him as a $50,000 money saver in the third round last July to help afford Sloan's over-slot bonus, but he can also pump his fastball up to 100 mph and back it up with an upper-80s slider. Don't be surprised if he surfaces in the big league bullpen this summer.

Camp standout: Tai Peete

Several of Seattle's Top 100 prospects have looked good in Cactus League action. Catcher Harry Ford (No. 4/MLB No. 64) has gone 7-for-12 with a homer and three steals, outfielder Lazaro Montes (No. 2/MLB No. 42) has crushed a pair of monstrous home runs and shortstop Felnin Celesten (No. 5/MLB No. 73) is fully healthy again after July hamate surgery.

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Peete (No. 12) hasn't gotten as much run in big league camp but the Mariners are bullish on his potential to take a big step forward this year. The 30th overall pick in '23, when scouts considered him one of the best athletes in the high school class, he's making the transition from shortstop to center field. He slashed .269/.343/.408 with 42 extra-base hits and 45 steals in 116 games as an 18-year-old in Single-A last summer.

"He's focusing more on playing center field and hitting the ground running," Toole said. "He has played very good defense with the Major League group and his swing looks very good. The bat speed is there. We love the bat, the defense and the kid."

Breakout potential: Ashton Izzi

An Oswego (Ill.) East HS teammate of Noah Schultz, who became a White Sox first-rounder and is now the game's top lefty pitching prospect, Izzi has developed more slowly. He didn't pitch after signing in 2022, spent the next year in Rookie ball and posted a 2.85 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 110 2/3 innings in Single-A last season. The Mariners like how his stuff continues to improve.

"Izzi looks good and we think there's a little more meat on the bone," Toole said. "His fastball has been 94-96 mph and there's more in there. We really like both his slider and changeup. The changeup has better action and his slider isn't as consistent. He's been working on different slider grips."

Draft sleeper: Christian Little

Little ranked as one of the best high school right-handers and a potential first-rounder in the 2021 Draft before graduating early and enrolling early at Vanderbilt. He never lived up to his billing in college, logging a 5.75 ERA while battling his control for four seasons split between the Commodores and Louisiana State. The Mariners signed him for a slightly over-slot $200,000 in the 11th round last July and have yet to pitch him in a pro game.

"I think the extended break has been good for him," Toole said. "He's healthy, his body is good, the velocity is there, he's been up to 98 mph. We hope to get him back on track. He understands who he is and what he needs to do to have success. We've had him focus on targeting and he has been good this spring."