The Seattle Mariners announced that five of their 2023 MLB Draft picks are going to be joining the Modesto Nuts for their full season debuts, including two top thirty draft picks in Colt Emerson and Tai Peete.
Making moves
With the completion of the ACL season, five members of our 2023 #MLBDraft class are joining the @ModestoNuts. #SeaUsRise pic.twitter.com/lx6u80b4O4
— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) August 23, 2023
Colt Emerson was the organization’s first-round pick (No. 22 pick) in this year’s draft. Tai Peete was taken with No. 30 overall, Aidan Smith went in Round 4, Ryan Hawks in the eighth round, and Logan Evans was drafted in the 12th round.
Here was the lineup for the first game with these new additions.
Modesto Nuts Lineup.
Brock Rodden 2B
Colt Emerson SS
Luis Suisbel 1B
Lazaro Montes RF
Tai Peete 3B
Aidan Smith CF
Gabe Moncada DH
RJ Schreck LF
Tatem Levins C
Darren Bowen SP— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) August 25, 2023
In their debuts with the Nuts, Emerson went one for three with two walks and one strikeout and two runs batted in. Peete went three for six with two doubles and also drove in two. The duo will be fun to watch in Modesto along with slugger Lazaro Montes.
Modesto Nuts (A) – California League
| RANK | PLAYER | POS | STATS |
| 4 | Michael Arroyo | SS | .264/.387/.427, 3 HR, 12% BB, 19.4% K |
| 11 | Lazaro Montes | OF | .301/.446/.607, 12 HR, 19.3% BB, 24% K |
| 18 | Michael Morales | RHP | 19 GS, 95.1 IP, 4.44 ERA, 24.6% K, 9.5% BB |
| 28 | Milkar Perez | 3B | .270/.378/.368, 1 HR, 13% BB, 24.7% K |
| 35 | Tyler Gough | RHP | 9 G, 8 GS, 28 IP, 6.11 ERA, 17.7% K, 11.3% BB |
| 36 | Ben Williamson | 3B | .268/.318/.415, 4.5% BB, 27.3% K |
Everett AquaSox (A+) — Northwest League
| RANK | PLAYER | POS | STATS |
| 1 | Cole Young | SS | .264/.393/.442, 10 HR, 15% BB, 14.8% K |
| 2 | Harry Ford | C | .257/.415/.436, 14 HR, 18.6% BB, 19% K |
| 5 | Gabriel Gonzalez | OF | .310/.371/.502, 17 HR 6.6% BB, 15.7% K |
| 10 | Tyler Locklear | 1B | .292/.407/.525, 12 HR, 12.6% BB, 22.1% K |
| 24 | Axel Sanchez | SS | .199/.285/.353, 7 HR, 8.5% BB, 29.2% K |
| 30 | Hogan Windish | 2B | .262/.363/.485, 18 HR, 11.9% BB, 31.7% K |
Arkansas Travelers (AA) – Texas League
| RANK | PLAYER | POS | STATS |
| 13 | Jonatan Clase | OF | .243/.352/.461, 18 HR, 13.5% BB, 27.2% K |
| 15 | Prelander Berroa | RHP | 34 G, 5 GS, 52.2 IP, 3.09 ERA, 36.7% K, 15.4% BB |
| 27 | Alberto Rodriguez | OF | .304/.381/.530, 12 HR, 9.2% BB, 23.8% K |
| 32 | Robert Perez Jr. | 1B | .253/.331/.436, 14 HR, 7.3% BB, 28.4% K |
| 38 | Ty Adcock | RHP | 19 G, 20.2 IP, 1.74 ERA, 29.3% K, 6.7% BB |
| 40 | Travis Kuhn | RHP | 41 G, 45.2 IP, 3.55 ERA, 21.5% K, 10.3% BB |
| 44 | Jorge Benitez | LHP | 38 G, 55 IP, 2.29 ERA, 27.8% K, 15.1% BB |
Tacoma Rainiers (AAA) – Pacific Coast League
| RANK | PLAYER | POS | STATS |
| 9 | Ryan Bliss | 2B | .310/.372/.516, 15 HR, 7.3% BB, 19.6% K |
| 22 | Zach DeLoach | OF | .286/.389/.481, 18 HR, 13.3% BB, 29.2% K |
| 26 | Juan Then | RHP | 26 G, 30 IP, 9.30 ERA, 16.9% K, 12.2% BB |
| 29 | Eduard Bazardo | RHP | 32 G, 44 IP, 3.07 ERA, 29.7% K, 6.6% BB |
Could Mariners Next Starter be in Tacoma?
Before Emerson Hancock got injured, the Seattle Mariners were planning on going with a 6 man rotation. Those plans changed, but the Mariners could still need a starter if they decide to skip any of Bryan Woo’s starts or keep him on a shorter leash in his starts.
If Seattle decides they have to call up a pitcher to start any games they could turn to Triple-A starter Adam Oller. He was claimed off of waivers from the Oakland A’s after struggling in stints at the big league level.
In seven starts for the Tacoma Rainiers Oller has an ERA of 3.00 in 39 innings. He has struck out 37 batters so far and walked 20. Opponents are hitting .228 against the right-hander and he is stranding a career high 87.7% of batters on the base paths.
In the case that Seattle needs another arm that can go multiple innings, Oller is certainly a candidate, especially since he is on the 40 man roster already. He could be the pitcher the club adds when rosters expand on September first.
Mariners Prospects In the News
MLB Pipeline picks one prospect from each organization that could reach a 20 home run and 20 stolen base season.
The Mariners promoted three prospects, including top ten prospect Tyler Locklear.
Keep climbing @TyLock13 has been called up to the @ARTravs, while @josh_hood1 and @Bill_Knight4 are headed to the @EverettAquaSox. #SeaUsRise pic.twitter.com/Nu8x6tCLkd
— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) August 23, 2023
Top prospects Harry Ford and Lazaro Montes won Player of the Week honors in their respective leagues.
Not one, but TWO for the farm.
Congrats to Lazaro Montes and @harry_ford for winning the California League and Northwest League @MiLB Player of the Week awards! pic.twitter.com/dGLKiC2Hxr
— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) August 21, 2023
Curtis Christianson
Curtis Christianson is the Athletic Director at Concordia Christian Academy. He also works in the Tacoma Rainiers clubhouse during the baseball season.
