Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma’s had more time under their belt than the other three affiliates, and with a 4-5 record thus far, it’s been a somewhat middling mix to start the season. There’s enough talent on this roster to be one of the more compelling teams in the PCL, but they’ll have to start picking things up in order to prove that on the field.
Colt Emerson, fresh off his record setting extension, fouled a pitch off his foot and had to exit Saturday’s game, though X-Ray imaging came back negative. He has been labeled as day-to-day and presumably should be back in the lineup sooner than later.
Looking like one of the most prodigious sluggers in all of minor league baseball right now, Patrick Wisdom has already launched seven homers on the young season, pulverizing baseballs deep into the stratosphere. He’s done a lot of the heavy lifting for this lineup so far and could be a compelling option as a right handed platoon option for the big league club should a spot happen to open up.
Arkansas Travelers
It’s been a tough start to the season for perhaps the most loaded affiliate in the entire organization, as a winless opening weekend has the Travs sitting in the cellar of the Texas League through the first three games. Despite their zero in the win column, there were plenty of performances that would indicate the future of this squad is much brighter than where they’re at right now. Talent wins out, and there’s plenty of it all throughout this roster.
Kade Anderson made his official minor league debut on opening night, and the left hander was as-advertised, dicing up opposing hitters and working an efficient four innings in Friday’s contest against the RockHounds. Striking out six and walking just one on 59 pitches, the third overall pick in last year’s draft didn’t surrender a run and looked like the premiere prospect he’s been touted as all offseason. His deceptive delivery and complete arsenal are brutal on opposing hitters and should give him a great shot at dominating Double-A competition from the jump.
Everett AquaSox
The Frogs kicked off their season with an opening series in Spokane, dropping two of three to the Indians in some back-and-forth battles that featured crazy momentum shifts. With a potent lineup and unproven pitching staff, expect a lot of high scoring games this season at Funko Field.
Luke Stevenson is picking up right where he left off. After an excellent stint in the California League last summer, Stevenson is 4-9 thus far and looks to have maintained his balanced approach at the plate. The power, his calling card in college, has been more subdued in the professional ranks, but in his current form, Stevenson looks more and more like an absolute steal as a Comp A round selection. There’s a non-zero chance he’s the best player on this team.
Jonny Farmelo, the top ranked prospect on this roster, has already homered on the young season, launching a towering shot out to the opposite field. The whiff isn’t in a great spot right now and is going to be something that needs to be monitored this season, but hopefully the small sample size normalizes sooner than later.
Inland Empire 66ers
It’s been an unceremonious start for the 66ers under Mariner affiliation as they’ve yet to collect a win just yet, but thus far, a few blowup performances on the mound have really sunk the team’s chances at winning. It’s far too early to make any long-term conclusions about how this team will shake out, and there’s a lot of fun “sleeper” prospects that could easily shoot up the latter half of the organizational rankings by mid-summer.
Korbyn Dickerson, patrolling centerfield for the 66ers, has been great through opening weekend and remains one of the bigger X-factors in this system. His talent could easily vault him into the upper-tiers of Mariner prospects, and though there are some concerns regarding the hit tool, he’s made strides improving his adjustability at the plate has shown an ability to succeed despite it. He’s a big name to circle for this season.
Ricardo Cova has been in the system for a while, but he’s consistently flown under the radar due to absolutely loaded infields in past seasons. Collecting seven hits across his first thirteen AB’s, the undersized second baseman has been on a tear at the plate and will look to continue this success in what will be his sixth season in the organization despite being just 21 years of age. He should be a key part of this team’s offensive attack this season.
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