A Minor Review of 2015: Seattle Mariners

Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor (League) Review of 2015.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the ’15 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2016 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

The Graduate: Carson Smith, RHP: I was a huge proponent of Smith prior to the 2015 season but even I was surprised by his raging success. The right-hander is an absolute ground-ball-inducing machine and he can miss more than his fair share of bats too — as witnessed by his 92 Ks in 70 innings pitched in 2015 in the Majors. As a result of those overpowering results, the 25-year-old hurler allowed just 49 hits and took over the Mariners’ closer’s role. He should return to the role in 2016 and his approach should help him find success for years to come, if he can stay healthy.

The Riser: Dan Altavilla, RHP: Altavilla, 23, doesn’t have a huge ceiling but he had a very promising year and the organization didn’t see that much in terms of huge prospect value spikes in 2015. The under-sized righty can touch 96-97 mph with a promising slider and showed a propensity for the strikeout while playing in a tough league for pitchers (The California League). The consensus seems to be that Altavilla is bound for the bullpen but Toronto’s Marcus Stroman has shown that size really doesn’t matter — but the Mariners prospect will need to create better plane on his offerings to mimic the Blue Jays’ breakout star.

The Tumbler: Gareth Morgan, OF: The Mariners took Morgan, a raw Canadian slugger, with the 74th selection in the 2014 draft and, somewhat surprisingly, lavished him with $2 million. In his first two pro seasons (spanning 100 games) he’s struck out 162 times in 377 at-bats. He’s also walked just 28 times and has a .194 batting average while spending both seasons in the Arizona Rookie League. On the plus side, he’s still just 19 years old and continues to flash massive raw power — in non-game situations. He needs to improve his pitch recognition significantly before he’ll find pro success and is a long-term project.

The ’15 Draft Pick: Nick Neidert, RHP: The Mariners didn’t have a first round draft pick in 2015 but found an intriguing prep arm in the second with the 60th overall selection. Neidert, 18, showed good poise in his debut and walked just nine batters in 35.1 innings of work. Like Altavilla above, this prospect is not overly physical but focusing on “less conventional players” is often how teams uncover gems outside the first round. His ability to control the ball could help him move somewhat swiftly through the system.

The Lottery Ticket: Nick Wells, LHP: The Mariners parted with reclamation project Mark Lowe at the trade deadline and receive a couple of lottery tickets in return from the Jays. Wells, 19, was a big mover in terms of value prior to the 2014 draft and Toronto nabbed him with the 83rd overall selection. The young lefty has shown above-average control and his stuff is ticking upward. Look for the projectable hurler to open 2016 in full-season ball; he could be a steal for the Mariners.