State of the Farm: 10/25/18

It’s been nearly a full month since we’ve seen the Mariners in action, but the organization has plenty of guys still playing ball if you need you’re needing your fix of box score scouring. There’s 17 Mariners’ farmhands currently in action spread across four leagues, and another two rostered that are yet to appear in a game, and I’ve summarized their performances to this point in their seasons below.

Arizona Fall League

RHP David McKay, Peoria Javelinas

Stats update: 5 G, 5.0 IP, 3.60 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, .263 BAA, 2 ER, 5 H, 5 BB, 5 SO

McKay enjoyed perhaps a bigger breakout than any other pitcher in the Mariners’ organization in 2018, posting 12.6 K/9 and a 3.34 xFIP through 50.2 innings for the Arkansas Travelers. His success hasn’t quite carried over into the AFL season yet, but the additional reps against some of the top hitting prospects in the game are a good test for the 23-year old. He’ll look to reel the walks back in as the Arizona Fall League continues to unfold.

RHP Wyatt Mills, Peoria Javelinas

Stats update: 4 G, 5.2 IP, 1.59 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, .105 BAA, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 SO

After an up and down 2018 campaign that saw Mills’ strikeout rate decrease quite drastically and his overall effectiveness bottom out once he hit the Double-A level, Mariners’ faithful are breathing a sigh of relief to see him retiring AFL hitters with ease. While the strikeout rate has remained down (6.4 K/9), he’s keeping the opposition from reaching base at an elite rate.

LHP Anthony Misiewicz, Peoria Javelinas

Stats update: 2 G, 2 GS, 5.1 IP, 6.75 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, .200 BAA, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 SO

The 23-year old left-hander had one of the roughest outings of the Arizona Fall League season in his debut, lasting just 1.1 innings and surrendering five runs (four earned) on three hits and two walks. He bounced back nicely though, tossing 4.0 shutout innings last Friday, allowing just one hit, but logging zero strikeouts.

RHP Matt Walker, Peoria Javelinas

Stats update: 5 G, 4.1 IP, 12.46 ERA, 2.78 WHIP, .278 BAA, 6 ER, 5 H, 7 BB, 2 SO

The 6’6” Walker has lived up to the name through five AFL appearances, issuing seven free passes through 4.1 innings, which is pretty uncharacteristic for the 24-year old hurler, who posted a walk rate of 3.2 BB/9 at the Double-A level last season. Coming off a career high 62.0 innings pitched, it’s possible he’s run out of gas, although his clean inning on Tuesday was his first scoreless outing of the season.

C Joe DeCarlo, Peoria Javelinas

Stats update: 4-18, .222/.423/.389, 2B, 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R, 0 SB, 0 CS, 7 BB, 5 SO

The converted catcher is seeing a lot more action in his second tour of duty with the Javelinas. The big development of the season to date for DeCarlo is that he’s walking quite frequently—more often than he’s striking out actually—after posting a career-low 9.3% walk rate in 2018.

INF Chris Mariscal, Peoria Javelinas

Stats update: 9-16, .563/.588/.750, 2B, 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, 0 SB, 0 CS, BB, 2 SO

Arguably the top Mariners utility infield prospect, Mariscal enjoyed a respectable bounce back season in 2018, posting a 97 wRC+ through 120 Double-A games after posting a 79 wRC+ through 40 games at the level in 2017. He’s received limited opportunities in a star studded Javelinas infield, but has made the most of his chances, collecting multiple hits in three of his four starts.

1B Evan White, Peoria Javelinas

Stats update: 11-42, .262/.340/.429, 4 2B, 0 3B, HR, 10 RBI, 6 R, 0 SB, 0 CS, 5 BB, 7 SO

The top storyline of the second half of the year for among Mariners affiliates, White has carried a strong second half of 2018 into a productive Arizona Fall League season. He’s cool slightly since looking like one of the most polished hitters in the league during the first week of play, but still boasts a respectable batting line and continues to see regular playing time, as he’s tied for third in the league in at bats.

OF Ian Miller, Peoria Javelinas

Stats update: 6-26, .231/.286/.462, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, 0 SB, CS, 2 BB, 7 SO

A speed and defense player by trade, the longball has been the story of the AFL early on for Miller, who’s gone deep twice in seven games, matching his season long total from Tacoma already. He hasn’t played super consistently for Peoria, but a few more extra-base hits before the season wraps up would be a huge positive heading into the spring.

Venezuelan Professional Baseball League

RHP Trevor Frank, Navegantes del Magallanes

Stats update: 5 G, 4.0 IP, 2.25 ERA, 0.25 WHIP, .100 BAA, ER, H, 0 BB, 4 SO

If Frank’s name doesn’t ring a bell for you, don’t feel bad. He latched on with the Mariners’ organization in mid-July after being released from the Padres’ system. The 27-year old spread 20.0 inning across Tacoma and Arkansas, flashing little upside that would make one think he’s anything but an organizational depth guy.

RHP Williams Perez, Cardenales de Lara

Stats update: 2 G, 2 GS, 8.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .273 BAA, 4 ER, 9 H, 3 BB, 8 SO

One of the Mariners’ most effective affiliate arms in 2018, Perez (27) will look to continue his hot stretch in 2019 with eyes on a return to the big leagues for the first time since 2016. Through just two starts for the Cardenales, he’s shown a little regression towards his career norms.

RHP Jeffeson Medina, Aguilas de Zulia

Stats update: 5 G, 4.2 IP, 1.93 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, .143 BAA, ER, 2 H, BB, 3 SO

Medina, 24, is the youngest Mariners’ affiliate pitcher playing his ball outside the United States, as he opted to play in his hometown of Zulia, Venezuela. In his second full season as a reliever, Medina was a key cog in the Modesto bullpen, logging 72.1 innings while posting a 4.49 xFIP despite a career high 8.2 K/9. He’s failed to allow a run in any of his last four outings after surrending one in his debut on October 12.

INF Yonathan Mendoza, Cardenales de Lara

Stats update: 8-18, .444/.474/.556, 0 2B, 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, R, 0 SB, 0 CS, BB, SO

Making his organizational debut with the Mariners in 2018, Mendoza did little to stand out, posting an 83 wRC+ through 97 games with Double-A Arkansas. He’s been on fire since joining his hometown Cardenales, although he’s having a hard time coming by extra-base hits, just as he did with the Travelers where 77 of his 87 hits on the season were singles.

OF Anthony Jimenez, Cardenales de Lara

Stats update: 0-4, .000/.200/.000, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0 SB, 0 CS, 0 BB, 3 SO

One of few MLB.com Top 30 Mariners Prospects to be playing in an offseason league overseas, Jimenez has seen little action to date for Lara. The 23-year old Venezuelan outfielder has shown off impressive speed and a surprising hit tool throughout his minor league career, but has had a hard time staying healthy. That said, he managed to appear in a career high 102 games in 2018, but posted a wRC+ of just 87 after never sinking below 126 at any prior level. If nothing else, hopefully his body will respond well to being back in his homeland throughout the offseason and he can enter 2019 ready for everyday action.

Mexican Pacific League

C Juan Camacho, Caneros de los Mochis

Stats update: 1-10, .100/.100/.200, 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, R, 0 SB, 0 CS, 0 BB, 5 SO

Another Mariners farmhand playing for his hometown team, Camacho has seen fairly regular action for the Caneros. He made his full-season debut at 22-years old in 2018, spending the the majority of the season with the Clinton LumberKings, where he posted a 99 wRC+. His 0.7% walk rate (two walks in 40 games) last year screams that his plate approach has a long way to go, but his hit tool gives him a solid base to build an offensive profile upon.

OF Chuck Taylor, Aguilas de Mexicali

Stats update: 4-25, .160/.258/.160, 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, R, 0 SB, 0 CS, 4 BB, 6 SO

Taylor starred in the Venezuelan Winter League last season where he flirted with an even walk-to-strikeout ratio, finishing the 59 game season with 27 walks to 30 strikeouts. Whether it was a testament to the work he put in in the VEWL last winter can’t be known, but he posted a career best strikeout rate of just 13.7%.

Dominican Professional Baseball League

RHP Bryan Evans, Toros del Este

Stats update: 2 G, GS, 5.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, .227 BAA, 0 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 6 SO

Evans sandwiched an 11 game stint in the Mexican League last year with two separate stints as a Mariners farmhand. His 14 starts for Tacoma in 2018 was good for fourth on the team despite joining the team in mid-June. While his 4.39 xFIP at the Triple-A level was totally fine, the 31-year old appears set to open 2019 as organizational filler yet again.

OF Luis Liberato, Leones de Escogido

Stats update: 2-7, .286/.286/.286, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, R, 0 SB, 0 CS, 0 BB, 0 SO

Fresh off his second straight 97 wRC+ season at the High-A level, Liberato’s peripherals point towards some untapped potential. He cut his strikeout rate by more than 10% from 2017 to 2018, posting a career best 17.0% and saw his walk rate climb back over 9.0%. Despite Fangraphs grading his speed tool at 70, the Dominican speedster somehow wound up with a BABIP of just .275. With a little better luck a continued effort to cut down on the whiffs, the 22-year old should be prepped for the likely challenge of the Double-A level in 2019.