Adam Moore has been one of my favorite minor leaguers in the Seattle Mariners organization for a little while now.  I was already an established fan when he finally made his way to Tacoma last season, but once I got to see him play in person I was head over heels.

The first time I saw that swing of his in person I knew I was going to be a fan for a long time.  It’s simple, compact and quick, allowing him to hammer line drives all over the place and occasionally knock one out of the park.  The photo stationed at the top right of the site is a shot I took of him going deep on a laser beam to left field (with Eliezer Alfonso behind him, by the way.  I can’t believe I never noticed that until now).

Barring something completely unexpected, Moore is on the 2010 Seattle Mariners Opening Day roster, and with Rob Johnson continuing to recover from double hip surgery Moore could have an opportunity to entrench himself as the primary backstop.  With Johnson easing back into things, Moore has a chance to build a rapport with the pitching staff and let his bat push Johnson into more of a backup role.

And the bat is definitely an upgrade over Johnson.  As you know, I’m a little more optimistic than most about Johnson’s offensive upside than some others, but Moore should be head and shoulders above Johnson once he gets settled in the big leagues.  Moore is a line drive machine, as already noted, and those line drives will carry over the fence to all fields fairly regularly.  He’s a double digit home run threat right now, and isn’t that far off from being a 15-20 home run guy.  Still, his power will come mostly from his ability to drive pitches into Safeco’s gaps.  I believe it was the first USS Mariner/Lookout Landing event with the new front office where they talked of Moore as a middle of the order hitter.  He’s going to be a good one.

As recently as last season, Moore was known as an offense first backstop, but has continued to peel off that label.  I wrote in the 2010 Mariners Annual about how Moore has progressed from a guy that wasn’t expected to stick behind the plate to a guy who is decent enough to allow his offense to carry him, but now it appears that he’s progressed to the point that defense isn’t much of an issue at all.  By the end of last season he didn’t look like much of a liability, and after working through the offseason and shedding a few pounds, I have a hard time believing he’s worse defensively than  Johnson (even the newly healthy Johnson). Given his physical tools, I can’t imagine why he couldn’t be a plus defender in the near future given the progress he’s made.

Fewer balls are getting by him and his footwork has improved to the point that his canon arm is getting put to much better use on steal attempts.  He’ll have his share of passed balls and wild pitches I’m sure, but I don’t think he’s a liability back there anymore.

And I don’t think he’s far behind Johnson in the intangibles that have allowed Johnson to make a name for himself.  Even back with High Desert in 2007 Moore was known to be a favorite target for pitchers, and after manager Don Wakamatsu challenged him to put less focus on his offense and more on his defense and relationships with the pitching staff in AAA Tacoma he’s really stepped it up.

He’s definitely caught the attention of Wak this spring.  I don’t think Wak envisioned Moore on his Opening Day roster.  But he has the attention of at least one big league pitcher as well.  Ian Snell has been quoted twice now– late last season and earlier this spring– that Moore calls the best game of any catcher he’s every thrown to.  Sure, Snell hasn’t exactly thrown to the who’s who of catchers.  Ronny Paulino and Ryan Doumit have been his primary catchers in the big leagues and he’s only thrown to a handful of veteran backstops, but that is still high praise from a big league pitcher.

Is Moore going to be a star?  Perhaps not, though I wouldn’t completely rule it out.  The word that comes to mind when trying to sum up Moore is “solid.”  There are no major weaknesses in his game.  Health permitting, he’s going to be calling pitches for the Mariners for quite a while.

For more on Moore, check out my article in the Annual.  If you haven’t bought it yet, you are a fool.  It shouldn’t be tough to find in the northwest, and if you can’t find it where you are, order it online.  Best 12 bucks you’ll ever spend.

Turning in one of the more interesting games was outfielder Eric Byrnes, who had juggling catch in the fourth inning, falling to the ground in the process. Then in the fifth, he doubled and slid head first into second. Only, he stopped about a foot from the bag, then bounced back up and hit the bag — falling victim to the same hard surface that helped befuddle Figgins and Wilson on those grounders. He lay there for a few seconds with Wakamatsu running out to make sure he was okay.

“Chin, nose and both elbows,” Wakamatsu said of Byrnes’ injuries. “Nothing serious but boy it’ll leave a mark tomorrow.”

Byrnes somewhat sheepishly called it later “a leaping head butt — I just head-butted second base.”

Of his slide, he said: “I took off soon, but I just hit the dirt and just stuck there. There was no slide. It was pretty hard out there. It’s not the first time I’ve done something like that and I promise you it won’t be the last time you guys see something like that. I continue to amaze myself every time I take the baseball field.”

Well, Adam Moore did the same thing, but you have to assume that Byrnes’ belly flop was far more out of control and, thus, more spectacular.

David Aardsma hasn’t had any problems with his strained groin since sitting out a little while.

Here’s what Wakamatsu said about David Aardsma, who threw 20 pitches in his first game of the spring: “We’re real happy he threw 20 pitches and he felt good with no problems with his groin.” Aardsma also said he was happy not to feel any pain and said that there’s no way to replicate the energy of a team — even in spring training — so merely throwing the first pitch and not feeling pain was a victory.

Erik Bedard is progressing well.  GM Jack Zduriencik says he’s ahead of schedule.

“There’s been no setbacks, so that’s the biggest key to the shoulder,” Bedard said. “Shoulders are a little more sensitive than an elbow or something, so right now I’m on track, and hopefully it stays like that.”

Bedard said he has thought all along a realistic return date would be June 15 — 10 months from the surgery.

I’ll take June 15th.  Of course, just about everyone is ahead of schedule until a setback, right? Bedard will throw from a mound on March 23rd.  In other news, the strange new media love affair with Bedard continues.  I don’t mind, but it’s… weird.

Rob Johnson still progressing after his surgeries and setback.  He’s slated to “catch” Cliff Lee for four or five innings today.  Adam Moore is making such a strong impression on both sides of the ball that the team may be more willing to let Johnson take some extra time at the end of Spring Training than they would have if they had to rely on the non-roster guys.

Jack Hannahan is still sitting out, and will be for a few days.  No news on that front.  Meanwhile, Matt Tuiasosopo is hitting the stuffing out the ball, and no doubt making Hannahan nervous.

Catchers

The Seattle Mariners acquired 24 year old Dan Wilson on November 2, 1993.  Wilson was dynamite during his Mariner career, but the franchise has had terrible luck with their other young catchers ever since.  Jason Varitek was viewed under a microscope as a Mariner farmhand, having to deal with high expectations placed on him based on his amazing collegiate track record and a contract dispute that seemed to burn up a lot of patience.  Before he was traded in 1997 he was more or less labeled as a bust, with cries of “good riddance” being heard from a few as he left town. Of course, the Mariners should have given him a little more time, but hindsight is 20/20.  Ryan Christianson, on the other hand, was a spectacular bust.  Miguel Olivo struggled mightily after being thrust into a difficult situation, and Ben Davis never lived up to his physical tools and minor league numbers.  Jeff Clement struggled with injuries and his defense before being sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates.  While Seattle’s minor league catching depth isn’t deep, here’s to hoping one of the top ranked guys can break the “curse of Varitek.”

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1.	Adam Moore, C 05/08/84 (25) Seattle

Drafted in the 6th round (#171 overall) of the 2006 amateur draft. Listed at 6’3/220. Bats right. Moore is big league ready and will compete for a 25-man roster job come Spring Training, earning a starting role if we had a say in it. With Kenji Johjima, Jeff Clement and Rob Johnson getting the spotlight, Moore was allowed a very structured and methodical rise through the system under the radar, helping him develop all facets of his game. Offensively, he employs a sound approach at the plate and a pretty, compact stroke that sprays line drives all over the place. He walks enough and has some home run pop, though most of his slugging will come from pounding balls into Safeco’s spacious gaps, which is obviously a plus given the park’s dimensions. In a neutral park he could feasibly top out at over 20 homers down the road. Defensively he’s been a work in progress. Pitch blocking has been perhaps his greatest weakness, though he’s improved enough that it shouldn’t be too much of a hindrance going forward. He has a good arm and quick release, and has improved his footwork and accuracy to second base. After being told he focused too much on offense, Moore made a concentrated effort to get his defense up to snuff as well as his staff management and game calling. Moore is a solid yet unspectacular backstop that reminds of Michael Barrett, which is really all you can ask for. Perhaps most beneficial to Moore is that he has the support of GM Jack Zduriencik and his staff, something hard to come by for many of the Bill Bavasi-era top prospects.  Video: Home run, June 2009

2.	Steve Baron, C 12/07/90 (19) Pulaski

Drafted in the first round (#33 overall) of the 2009 amateur draft. Listed at 6’0/195. Bats right. Baron was known as arguably the best defensive prep receiver a 2009 draft that featured some great high school talent behind the plate.  He is extremely advanced for someone of his age and experience level, showing off a plus arm, quick release, good footwork and overall instincts, making him very fun to watch behind the plate.  Offensively he’s more of a work in progress, as evidence by the .179/.241/.292 slash line he produced in his introduction to pro ball.  That said, Pulaski is a tough place to land for high school players and his swing has made progress  over the last year or so according to most reports.  He isn’t expected to hit for much average, but has the physical tools and raw power to hit 15+ homers some day, which would pair nicely with plus defense. Conditioning will be important for Baron, as he’s already fairly big and has had problems staying in shape in the past. His defense alone should get him to the big leagues one day, but his offense may determine his outlook as a starter.  He isn’t expected to be a quick riser. Video: High school highlights, offense and defense, 2009

3.	Trevor Coleman, C 01/19/88 (21) Clinton

Drafted in the 9th round (#263 overall) of the 2009 amateur draft.  Listed at 6’1/205.  Bats both.  Coleman comes to the Mariners from Missouri, where he had the opportunity to catch first round pitchers Aaron Crow and Kyle Gibson.  What’s great about that is it gave him an opportunity to catch advanced arms with good secondary stuff, helping him improve his game calling and pitch blocking more than the average college catcher.  Though he’s a solid receiver, he’s not defensively advanced enough to make the big leagues alone; he’s going to have to hit.  Coleman’s bat never progressed as expected while at Missouri and he’s been more or less a singles hitter.  He didn’t show much in his short debut at Everett either, hitting .184/.306/.289 in 32 games.  But he is a switch hitter, which is rare out of a catcher, and knows how to the work the counts (more walks than strikeouts in college, 13% walk rate in Everett), so it may be worth keeping an eye on him in 2010.

Watch list - Ji-man Choi: 2009 IFA from Korea. Power LH bat. Engle called him “best left-handed abt in Korean High School play this year.”  Originally had him above Coleman, but we’ll wait for some more detailed scouting reports first.  Travis Howell: 25 year olds who haven’t escaped A-ball aren’t usually mentioned on posts like this, but Howell’s defensive reputation intrigues me. If he can stay healthy he could become someone worth watching.  Also keep an eye on Brandon Bantz and Tommy Johnson.  Hassiel Jimenez works the counts and is regarded as a hard worker with at least average offensive tools across the board.

as a prospect.  I’ll admit that he wasn’t on my radar at all, but I’ll trust their judgment. Will dig up some info and update this.

It’s looking pretty thin for the Mariners behind the plate. Outside of Moore and the two teenagers (Baron and Choi) the depth consists of a bunch of fringy guys that are either very old for their respective levels or are just not particularly exciting. Luckily, Moore and Rob Johnson should be able to anchor the position at the big league level for the foreseeable future. That said, it’s hard to predict young catchers, as illustrated by Seattle’s inability to develop one since acquiring Dan Wilson.

The disclaimer: I do these reports and rankings as part of my own baseball education, and figure that some people will enjoy the information and opinions I’ve compiled.  I am by no means an expert evaluator of minor league talent, so all views and rankings should be taken with a grain of salt and are very much up for discussion.  It is a hobby, but something that I am relatively new at.  I am inexperienced enough that I don’t have much of a track record in terms of predicting the outcomes of prospects, but hopefully these types of posts will allow me to look back in a few years and see what I got right and all I got wrong.

Here are my top 25+ Seattle Mariners prospects as of today.  I will try to post updated lists several times a year: offseason, early season, post- draft and International Signing Day, and perhaps a few in between.

I received some good input from Rob T. on this as well, and he’ll be co-authoring the lists in the future.

Please try not to get too worked up about exact placement of the players on the bottom half of the list (including the “Notables”).  They’re fairly interchangeable, depending on what you think makes a good prospect.  I appreciate all feedback, and feel free to submit your sleepers!

If you want to skip the blurbs there is a chart at the bottom of the post.

1.) Carlos Triunfel, MIF – Finally showed a little bit of pop in 2008 and finished the year with a very good AFL performance against much more advanced competition.  2009 could be a big year for him.

2.) Phillippe Aumont, RHP – Amazing stuff and control for someone whose mechanics are such a mess.  If he can smooth out his follow-through and start repeating his delivery he’ll become one of the top pitching prospects in baseball.

3.) Michael Saunders, OF – He’s not typically regarded as a high upside prospect (although Baseball America called him a “potential five-tool talent” before the season), but a safe bet to be a Major League contributor.  Line drive swing (although a bit long), plus speed, good defender.  If he can stick in center field his value will increase, but right now he looks like a left handed version of Jayson Werth or Corey Hart.

4.) Greg Halman, CF - The tools are there– more so than anyone on this list– but for now I’m unconvinced that he can get around the awful K:BB ratios that are handicapping him.  He’s performed at every level through AA; will it continue?

5.) Juan Ramirez, RHSP - Doesn’t have the numbers of Aumont or Pineda, but of the three he’s known as the most polished.  His fastball runs low-to-mid 90s and he throws a sharp breaking curve and solid changeup as well.  His body and delivery have been compared to Rafael Soriano.

6.) Adam Moore, C - I want to have him higher, but this is where he lands right now.  .900+ OPS for each of the last two seasons and a reputation for handling pitching staffs well, Moore could be the complete package behind the plate after a little more defensive fine tuning.

7.) Michael Pineda, RHSP – A lot of people have him higher on their lists after a breakout campaign in 2008, but I want to hear more reports about how his secondary pitches are developing.  I am in love with his control, though (128:35 K:BB).

8.) Matt Tuiasosopo, 3B – Some people view him as a disappointment, but a strong second half in 2008 and a good approach at the plate have made me a believer.  I think he’ll have a big year in 2009, though he has to work on his defense.

9.) Mike Carp, 1B – His bat isn’t as powerful as you’d like from a first baseman, but a solid 2008 at AA (.299/.403/.471) and 17 game VWL stint (.260/.403/.480) have me believing he can be a useful major leaguer.   Is among the most disciplined hitters in the system.

10.) Dennis Raben, OF/1B – Only 27 pro games to go from, but he’s expected to shoot through the system and could move up this list as his minor league sample grows.  Profiles similarly to Carp, but he should have more power, which bodes well.  He’ll leapfrog Carp on this list sooner than later, but he needs to add to his professional resume first.

11.) Jharmidy DeJesus, 3B – Showed good skills as a 18 year old in his USA debut this past season.  Tons a raw power and seems to take enough walks to get by.  Defense at third appears to be a major problem, however.  He was a personal favorite of mine in 2008.

12.) Rob Johnson, C – Looks like a very solid backup with starting upside perhaps in the vicinity of Dan Wilson.  Could be higher on this list, and may be dealt this offseason.

13.) Mario Martinez, 3B – Already looking like a good hitter and most think he’ll develop some decent power as well.  Struggling defensively at third base since moving over from shortstop, but he’s still very green.  He could move very quickly up or down depending on how he does in A-ball.

14.) Maikel Cleto, RHSP – He’s very young and throws the heat, which is good enough for him to crack any prospect list.  Similar problems to most young fireballers: control, secondary pitches, repeating deliver.  He’s a starter now, but many think he’ll end up a closer in the big leagues.

15.) Nathan Adcock, RHSP – Largely overshadowed by the big-three in Wisconsin (Aumont, Ramirez, Pineda), this guy is looking like a very good pitcher.  He improved his walk and strikeout rates this past season and looks like a solid middle-to-back of the rotation starter at this point.

16.) Shawn Kelley, RHRP – Very good reliever.  Low-to-mid 90s fastball and great slider to go with very good control.  Injuries could be a concern.

17.) Gabriel Noriega, SS – He’s a great defender and a switch hitter with a bit of power potential, which is enough to make him a very good shortstop prospect.  This kid may be Seattle’s real shortstop of the future, though he spent 2008 in rookie ball.

18.) Efrain Nunez, OF – A 17 year old that has yet to debut in the United States, this kid was a highly regarded international prospect like many others on this list, including Triunfel, DeJesus, Noriega and Morban.  Switch hitter, some good plate skills and plus raw power.

19.) Gaby Hernandez, RHSP – A very highly regarded pitching prospect as recently as last offseason, he seems to have lost the bite on his once great curveball as well as a few MPH on his fastball.  2009 could be considered a make or break season, although he is still just 22.  Last year he would have cracked the top 10.

20.) Mike Wilson, COF – Getting old for a prospect that hasn’t yet reached AAA, but Wilson is still extremely powerful.  He posted a .937 OPS with AA last season, and could make his MLB debut at some point in 2009 now that he’s been re-added to the 40-man roster.

21.) Justin Thomas, LHRP – I might have him higher if he remained a starter, but he seems destined for a relief role and could make Seattle’s Opening Day roster for 2009.  Solid fastball/slider/change combo, but how much value can you truly get out of a lefty reliever?

22.) Julio Morban, CF – Because he’s only 16 and may not make his USA debut until 2010 or later, I can’t put him any higher on the list just yet.  He is expected to be a very good player, with scouts and insiders calling him the “best pure hitter” to sign this year out of the international prospects pool, adding that he has a “strong grasp of the game.” 5’11″ 178 lbs, solid approach from the left side of the plate and good bat speed.

23.) Ezequiel Carrera, CF -  A plus-plus defender in center, a patient hitter at the plate and a speedster on the basepaths.   Some believe he could develop some power down the road as well.

24.) Brett Lorin, RHSP – A huge guy at 6’7″ 245 lbs, he was a 5th rounder this year out of Long Beach State and struck out 61 hitters in 52.1 innings in his first professional season, including 13 hitters in Everett’s home opener.  Could rise up this list quickly.

25.) Tyson Gillies, CF – Saw him play once in Everett.  Looks like a good athlete and is very fast.  Good defender at any outfield position with a grade-A arm, and works the count well from the left side of the plate.  Hasn’t hit the ball for much authority just yet, but could be a leadoff option if he reaches his potential.  It’ll be interesting to see if he can overcome his hearing disability.

Other Notables:

LHRP Cesar Jimenez, 1B/LF Johan Limonta, RHP Doug Fister, 1B/LF Javier Brito, MIF Reegie Corona, RHSP Fabian Williamson, LHSP Henry Perez, OF/DH Carlos Peguero, OF Denny Almonte, RHRP Stephen Kahn, OF Kuo Hio Lo, LHRP Jose Lugo, RHSP Kenn Kasparek, LHSP Nick Hill

Sleepers:

Steven Hensley (3rd round) and Aaron Pribanic (5th),  RHSPs - These high 2008 draft picks haven’t seen much pro action yet, but could climb the ladder quickly if they perform in 2009.

Luke Burnett, RHP - Another 2008 draft pick that has barely tasted pro ball, this guy was once a highly regarded starter whose stock plummeted after an injury, allowing Seattle to steal him in the 14th round.  He may not be durable enough to remain a starter, but some have suspected that the 6’8 260 pounder could rocket through the system in a season or two if made into a full-time reliever.

Donnie Hume, LHSP – A confident lefty that pitched for collegiate baseball hotbeds Long Beach State and San Diego State before becoming an 8th round pick in 2007. He relies on control, but showed the ability to miss bats as well in his pro debut.

Last modified: 12/31/08 @ 5:30pm