Cole Young was the Seattle Mariners first-round draft pick back in 2022 and had a nice start to his professional career in 10 games at A ball for the Modesto Nuts. He has started the 2023 season in Modesto again and has picked up right where he left off. He is getting a lot of hits early on and also is controlling the zone and walking more than he is striking out.
Young has displayed his hitting ability early in his career, showing why MLB Pipeline gave him a 60 potential hit tool grade. MLB Pipeline quotes Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto as saying that the young lefty had the “the sweetest swing” in the 2022 draft.
Joe Doyle also is high on Young’s bat, saying, “his best tool is his ability to put the barrel on the ball”. If Young continues to hit at A ball for the Nuts, he might not be a Nut for long and get a chance to play with the AquaSox up in Everett and be closer for Mariners fans to go and see.
On April 12 Young had a four hit night against San Jose.
Modesto Nuts (A) – California League
No. 5 Cole Young, SS
2023: 11-for-27, 4-2B, 3B, 9 BB, 4 SO, 3 SB
No. 9 Gabriel Gonzalez, OF
2023: 11-for-30, 3-2B, 5 BB, 5 SO, 2 SB
No. 18 Michael Morales, RHP
2023: 1 GS, 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO
No. 28 Tyler Gough, RHP
2023: 1 GS, 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
No. 35 Milkar Perez, 3B
2023: 5-for-19, 2-2B, 8 BB, 5 SO
No. 36 Josh Hood, IF
2023: 10-for-33, 3-2B, HR, 3 BB, 8 SO
No. 48 Tatem Levins, C
2023: 2-for-12, 2B, BB, SO
Everett Aqua Sox (A+) — Northwest League
No. 1 Harry Ford, C
2023: 5-for-21, 3B, 6 BB, 4 SO
No. 8 Axel Sanchez, SS
2023: 2-for-20, BB, 9 SO
No. 13 Tyler Locklear, 3B
2023: 7-for-26, 2-2B, BB, 6 SO
No. 14 Jonatan Clase, OF
2023: 5-for-24, 3-2B, 5 BB, 8 SO
No. 25 Hogan Windish, 2B
2023: 6-for-23, 3-HR, 2 BB, 8 SO, SB
No. 26 Juan Mercerdes, RHP
2023: 2 GS, 10 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 16 SO
No. 29 Alberto Rodriguez, OF
2023: 3-for-21, 2B, 3B, 5 BB, 3 SO
No. 38 Walking Cabrera, OF
2023: 2-for-11, HR, BB, 3 SO
Arkansas Travelers (AA) – Texas League
No. 2 Bryce Miller, RHP
2023: 2 GS, 10 IP, 13 H, 7 ER, 0 BB, 10 S
No. 6 Emerson Hancock, RHP
2023: 2 GS, 9 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 13 SO
No. 7 Bryan Woo, RHP
2023: 1 GS, 4 IP, H, 0 ER, BB, 7 SO
No. 12 Prelander Berroa, RHP
2023: 1 GS, 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO
No. 19 Juan Then, RHP
2023: 3 G, 3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
No. 21 Robert Perez Jr., 1B
2023: 6-for-27, 2B, 3B, 3 BB, 7 SO
No. 22 Isaiah Campbell, RHP
2023: 2 G, 2 IP, 3 H, ER, 0 BB, SO
N0. 33 Travis Kuhn, RHP
2023: 2 G, 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, S
No. 40 Stephen Kolek, RHP
2023: 3 G, 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
No. 44 Spencer Packard, OF
2023: 12-for-25, 2B, HR, 4 BB, 3 SO
Tacoma Rainiers (AAA) – Pacific Coast League
No. 15 Taylor Dollard, RHP
2023: 3 GS, 8.1 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 8 SO
No. 24 Zach DeLoach, OF
2023: 13-for-41, 4-2B, HR, 7 BB, 14 SO, SB
UR Brian O’Keefe, C
2023: 15-for-39, 3-2B, 5 HR, 6 BB, 6 SO
Mariners Draft Spotlight
Doyle, now of Future Stars Series, released his first mock draft with them and he included each of the first three Mariners selections. Here are the three players Doyle mocked to Seattle with the 22nd, 29th, and 30th overall selections.
Juaron Watts-Brown, RHP Oklahoma State
George Lombard Jr., SS/3B, Gulliver Prep (FL)
Kendall George, OF, Atascocita (TX)
Juaron Watts-Brown is a 6-foot-3 righty from Oklahoma State and would be another college arm for the Seattle scouting department to draft. Scouting Director Scott Hunter has drafted George Kirby and Logan Gilbert before in the first round, so they could certainly go back to the college pitching well. So far this season the 21-year-old has started eight games and has a 3.30 ERA in 46.1 innings. He has 71 strikeouts and 21 walks.
According to Doyle, the right-hander has, “a standard four-pitch mix all with distinct shape. His fastball has big ride while averaging around seven feet of extension from a low launch. Both of his breaking balls have distinct shape, one being a tight slider, the other a hammer 11/5 curveball. The slider is nasty with fantastic tunnel off the fastball and sharp, late break. Watts-Brown has been up into the upper-90s and will routinely sits in the low-to-mid 90s during his starts.” As his 24th ranked prospect in the upcoming draft, Watts-Brown is a name to watch at the back end of the first round.
George Lombard Jr. is a young high school infield prospect from the state of Florida. He is listed at 6-foot-3 according to Perfect Game, and he has yet to turn 18 years old. He is Doyle’s 33rd ranked prospect, and is rising up boards. There is lots to like about his potential, and Doyle says, “this is one of the premium bats available on the prep side in the 2023 class.” Adding another young infielder to a group that includes Cole Young, Axel Sanchez, Michael Arroyo, and Tyler Locklear would be exciting to see.
Kendall George is also a high schooler and he is a “true centerfielder”. He is a very athletic player who swings from the left side and throws left-handed. The Arkansas commit is Doyle’s 44th ranked draft prospect and he is someone who could keep maturing at the plate as he gets more experience. He might need to show some more skills at the plate to get drafted in the first round come July, but he certainly has some exciting tools.
Mariners Prospects in the News
Emerson Hancock had an impressive first start and MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer highlighted how Hancock feels great this season.
Click here to find out which affiliate has the most prospect talent according to MLB.com.
Daniel Kramer highlighted how good of a start catching prospect Harry Ford got off to.
The Mariners have amassed quite a few intriguing prospects in their farm system, but who could break out this season? MLB.com wrote about one for each team, including the Mariners.
Curtis Christianson
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