Fresh off two heartbreaking extra-innings losses, the Seattle Mariners are calling up infield prospect Cole Young from Triple A, the team announced Saturday. Young, the No. 21 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, was ranked No. 36 in Keith Law’s latest top 50 MLB prospect ranking.
The news was first reported by MLB.com.
Advertisement
Seattle is also bringing back right-handed pitcher Bryce Miller, who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
Young, 21, is a left-handed hitting shortstop who has also played a significant number of games at second base. According to a team source, that will be the spot where he gets most of his playing time, at least initially, as the Mariners have been struggling to find a permanent solution at second after losing Ryan Bliss to a left biceps tear on April 8.
Young, an excellent defensive player, has a career .388 OBP in 321 minor-league games. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder isn’t known for his power, but he has been in the middle of a red-hot streak for Triple-A Tacoma. For the month of May, he slashed .366/.467/.673 with five home runs and a 16:8 K:BB. Overall, he’s batting .277/.392/.461 this season.
“Young should see the majors sooner rather than later, with the Mariners getting so little OBP from five lineup spots,” Law wrote in the top-50 ranking. “He’s had a power surge this month, mostly from playing road games in some of the PCL’s higher-altitude parks, but his OBP … and high contact rate are consistent with his track record from the lower levels, and that alone would help Seattle’s lineup. He’s only played shortstop and second, the latter his better position, so they’d have to shift some guys around to fit him in. Regardless of where he plays, though, I think he’s ready or very close to it.”
Seattle began the season with MLB’s top farm system in Law’s preseason rankings. Young is the first of the Mariners’ elite prospects to join their MLB roster. The Mariners have six players in the current top 50 ranking, with shortstop Colt Emerson at No. 6, shortstop Felnin Celesten at No. 21, Young at 36, right-hander Ryan Sloan at No. 41 and outfielder Jonny Farmelo at 49. Catcher Harry Ford, outfielder Lazaro Montes and infielder Michael Arroyo didn’t make the newest top 50 ranking but were on Law’s preseason top 100 list.
The Mariners enter Saturday’s games a half-game behind the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West. They rank sixth in baseball in home runs (thanks in large part to catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads the AL with 21) but rank 10th in runs scored and 12th in OBP. Seattle second basemen have been in the middle of the pack in OPS for the position at .720.
(Photo: Chris Bernacchi / Diamond Images via Getty Images)
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
