Results tagged ‘ Nick Franklin ’
Mariners Spring Training Update – Day 10
Day 10 / Tuesday, February 21, 2012 / 35 Days ‘til Opening Night in Tokyo / 51 Days ‘til Opening Night in Seattle
Weather: If you could bottle this weather up, you would be set. Sorry to rub this in for any Northwest fans reading this while it is cold and rainy, but it was just about perfect today. Photo day started with the temps at a “brisk” 47°, and climbed to near 70° when the players finished the workout. And the weather ahead also looks pretty good, including highs expected in the 80′s this weekend.
Not a bad 6-day forecast for the next few days of spring training.
News of the Day:
Manager Eric Wedge announced following practice that Ichiro will bat third in the batting lineup this year. He also said he is going to give first shot at the leadoff position to Chone Figgins and Dustin Ackley will start the season batting 2nd. For the seamheads out there, Ichiro has made 13 starts in his career where he has batted 3rd in the lineup, last June 23, 2004 at Texas. 1,730 of his 1,733 career starts (1,749 career games played) have had his name penciled into the leadoff spot on the Mariners lineup card since his MLB debut in 2001.
Eric Wedge announced following today's workout that Ichiro will bat No. 3 in the batting order this season.
Quotes of the Day:
“Sorry.” Pretty simple, and straight from the mouth of ace Felix Hernandez after striking out prospect Nick Franklin on a pretty nasty curveball. When asked what pitch he struck out on, Franklin just shook his head and said “a huge curveball. Never seen one like that before!”
“Come on Ichi, Come on Ichi, Come on Ichi!!!!!!” That was energetic infielder Munenori Kawasaki cheering on Ichiro when the outfielders were working on cutoffs and throwing to different bases. He got plenty of laughs out of teammates, media and fans watching practice.
Tweet of the Day:
#shoutout to all my new followers, and all the photographers who made photo day a breeze..
— forrest snow (@feSNOW) February 21, 2012
Birthday Boys:
Outfielders Franklin Gutierrez (29th) and Chih-Hsien Chiang (25th) celebrated their birthdays today. Both even got a few “Happy Birthday’s” shouted their way as both players shuffled between practice fields.
The Day:
The Mariners ran through one of their longer workouts so far this spring, with the catchers finishing their conditioning around 1 p.m. local time. A total of 17 pitchers threw live BP, including Felix Hernandez, Jason Vargas, Danny Hultzen, Taijuan Walker, Blake Beavan, James Paxton and Shawn Kelley. The team also went through a spirited round of infield-outfield, with several outfielders showing pinpoint accuracy throwing home.
RHP Taijuan Walker threw live batting practice to Dustin Ackley, Chone Figgins and Munenori Kawasaki.
Photo Day:
We had a previous blog entry on Photo Day, with plenty of photos from the morning photo shoots. All 67 players in Major League camp ran through a gauntlet of photo stations including Getty Images, AP, Kyodo News, Topps and US Presswire.
National Media:
Along with our everyday beat writers Greg Johns (MLB.com), Larry LaRue (Tacoma News Tribune), Geoff Baker (Seattle Times), Larry Stone (Seattle Times), and local TV reporters Chris Egan (King 5) and Aaron Levine (Q13), some national media members made pit stops at Mariners camp today. ESPN.com’s Jorge Arangure, CBSSportsline.com’s Scott Miller and ESPN’s Pedro Gomez were seen on the back fields doing stories on the Mariners.
Veteran scribes Larry LaRue (left) and Greg Johns (right) are also known to pick up a camera during spring training.
- JE
Mariners Spring Training Update – Day 2
Day 2 / Monday, February 13, 2012 / 43 Days ‘til Opening Night in Tokyo / 59 Days ‘til Opening Night in Seattle
Weather: Sunny skies with temperatures in the low to mid-60 during workouts this morning. Temperatures are continuing to warm up through the afternoon, but rain may be in the forecast for tomorrow.
Quote of the Day: Shortstop Munenori Kawasaki introducing himself to teammates, staff and media: “I am Munenori Kawasaki. Kawasaki…VROOM VROOM.” Kawasaki signed a Minor League contract with the Mariners in January and is excited to be in camp.
Munenori (left), Kawasaki (right) - VROOM! VROOM!
The Day: Pitchers and catchers were on field for the second day of camp. After day one and figuring out which field to be on and at what time, day two went smoothly with everyone getting where they needed to be on time.
Sixteen pitchers had bullpens today after 18 did yesterday, including RH Hisashi Iwakumi, RH Hector Noesi, RH Brandon League and RH Kevin Millwood. General Manager Jack Zduriencik and Manager Eric Wedge have been impressed early with the pitchers in camp.
Pitchers continued working on PFP (Pitchers Fielding Practice) drills, including fielding a bunt and covering first on a ball hit to the right side of the infield. Infielders Mike Carp, Kyle Seager and Nick Franklin stood in as first baseman for the pitchers on one of the fields. Catchers also worked on controlling the running game and throwing out runners at second base.
The catchers wrapped up the day split into two hitting groups. While working on hitting to all sides of the field, Jesus Sucre hit a screaming line drive up the middle and nearly took out coach Nasusel Cabrera gathering balls in shallow center field. Cabrera had to jump out of the way and used a ball bucket to deflect the ball. The rest of the coaching staff laughed and continued to give Cabrera a hard time until BP was over. Jesus Montero, Miguel Olivo and Adam Moore each hit multiple home runs into the parking lot.
- KM
Mariners Listed On More Top Prospect Lists
We have already updated you on a few prospect lists that came out leading up to the 2012 season, including Baseball America and MLB.com.
Much like the college football polls, there are a lot of these, and it can get confusing, but we wanted to pass along a few more to get you excited for the upcoming baseball season.
Baseball Prospectus unveiled their Top 101 Prospects today, and four Mariners were listed:
- C Jesus Montero (#7)
- RHP Taijuan Walker (#14)
- LHP Danny Hultzen (#35)
- LHP James Paxton (#59)
Additionally, author Kevin Goldstein noted on his Twitter feed that infielder Nick Franklin would also likely be included in the top 125 players.
Jesus Montero is listed as a consensus top prospect heading into the 2012 season. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
ESPN.com and Keith Law also unveiled their annual Top 100 prospects (hidden behind ESPN’s pay wall), with five Mariners listed among the top 100.
- C Jesus Montero (#9)
- RHP Taijuan Walker (#24)
- LHP Danny Hultzen (#30)
- LHP James Paxton (#51)
- INF Nick Franklin (#57)
Larry Stone of the Seattle Times has a nice write-up on the ESPN.com piece in his Hot Stone League Blog.
- JE
Baseball America Cover Boy – Taijuan Walker
Earlier this week, MLB.com came out with their Top 100 prospects, with 5 Mariners on the list. Today, it was Baseball America’s turn to unveil their annual Top 10 Mariners Prospects via their website.
And look who is on the cover of this week’s edition of Baseball America, Taijuan Walker.
Taijuan Walker is on the cover of Baseball America.
And Taijuan was a guest on Sports Radio KJR this morning talking about his goals for the 2012 season and his visit to Seattle this weekend for FanFest.
Here are the Mariners Top 10 Prospects, as well as the publications listing for the Best Mariners Tools:
- Jesus Montero, c
- Taijuan Walker, rhp
- Danny Hultzen, lhp
- James Paxton, lhp
- Nick Franklin, 2b/ss
- Francisco Martinez, 3b
- Chance Ruffin, rhp
- Tom Wilhelmsen, rhp
- Vinnie Catricala, 3b/1b/of
- Phillips Castillo, of
Best Hitter for Average – Jesus Montero
Best Power Hitter – Jesus Montero
Best Strike Zone Discipline – Vinnie Catricala
Fastest Baserunner – Jamal Austin
Best Athlete – Taijuan Walker
Best Fastball – Taijuan Walker
Best Curveball – James Paxton
Best Slider – Chance Ruffin
Best Changeup – Danny Hultzen
Best Control – Danny Hultzen
Best Defensive Catcher – Steve Baron
Best Defensive Infielder – Gabriel Noriega
Best Infield Arm – Carlos Triunfel
Best Defensive OF – Danny Carroll
Best Outfield Arm – Johermyn Chavez
- JE
Mariners Invite 9 Organizational Players to Spring Training
Today, we announced that 9 organizational players have been invited to Major League Spring Training. These players are in addition to the 16 players the Mariners have signed as minor league free agents. So, as of right now, the spring training roster consists of 65 players. Here is the Mariners current 40-Man Roster with spring training invites.
Here are the 9 Mariners minor league players that will participate in Major League Spring Training:
- RHP Taijuan Walker
- LHP James Paxton
- INF Nick Franklin
- OF Vinnie Catricala
- RHP Erasmo Ramirez
- RHP Stephen Pryor
- RHP Forrest Snow
- C Jesus Sucre
- C Ralph Henriquez
There are a few names on here that fans will be very excited to see roaming the upper fields in Peoria.
The list includes seven of the Mariners top 20 prospects for the 2012 season as listed by Baseball America, including Taijuan Walker (#2), James Paxton (#4), Nick Franklin (#5), Vinnie Catricala (#9), Erasmo Ramirez (#13), Stephen Pryor (#15) and Forrest Snow (#19). Additional top 30 prospects C Jesus Montero (#1), LHP Danny Hultzen (#3), RHP Chance Ruffin (#7), RHP Tom Wilhelmsen (#8), INF Alex Liddi (#14), OF Chih-Hsien Chiang (#24), INF Carlos Triunfel (#25), LHP Mauricio Robles (#26) and OF Johermyn Chavez (#28) are on the 40-man roster.
Additionally, the Mariners had five players named among MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects:
- C Jesus Montero (#12)
- LHP Danny Hultzen (#16)
- RHP Taijuan Walker (#18)
- INF Nick Franklin (#52)
- LHP James Paxton (#77)
The Mariners were one of five organizations to place at least 5 prospects on this year’s Top 100 list, and ranked highest with 329 Prospect Points (100 points to the team with the No. 1 prospect, 99 to the team with No. 2 and on down).
Walker, 19, was named the Mariners Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2011 going 6-5 with a 2.89 ERA (31 ER, 96.2 IP) with A Clinton. He was recently named the No. 8 right-handed pitching prospect by MLB.com. Walker was originally selected by Seattle in the supplemental first round (43rd overall) in the 2010 June Draft.
Paxton, 23, was recently named the No. 8 left-handed pitching prospect by MLB.com (Hultzen was No. 3). He made his debut in 2011 combining to go 6-3 with a 2.37 ERA (25 ER, 95.0 IP) in 17 starts with A Clinton and AA Jackson. Overall, he ranked 2nd in the minors with 12.41 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (131 SO). Paxton signed with the Mariners last March after being selected in the 4th round of the 2010 June Draft.
Franklin, 20, also garnered attention from MLB.com as the No. 6 shortstop prospect. Despite missing an extended period of time in 2011 with a concussion, Franklin still hit .281 (99×352) with 64 runs scored, 13 doubles, 7 triples, 7 home runs and 26 RBI with the AZL Mariners, High Desert and Jackson. He capped his 2011 season being named the MVP of the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game. In 2010 he was one of only three minor leaguers to turn in a 20 HR-20 SB season (23 HR, 25 SB). Franklin was selected by Seattle in the first round (27th overall) in the 2009 June Draft.
Catricala, 23, was named the Mariners Minor League Player of the Year in 2011 combining to bat .349 (182×521) with 101 runs, 48 doubles, 4 triples, 25 home runs and 106 RBI in 133 games with A High Desert and AA Jackson. Among full season minor leaguers he ranked 2nd in extra base hits (77), 3rd in hits, T3rd in doubles, T4th in batting average and T9th in RBI. Catricala was selected by the Mariners in the 10th round of the 2009 June Draft out of the University of Hawai’i.
Ramirez, 21, combined to go 10-8 with a 4.83 ERA (82 ER, 152.2 IP) in 26 starts with Jackson and Tacoma. Ramirez is 35-14, 3.10 in his minor league career (79 G/73 GS), including being named the 2009 Mariners Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going 11-1, 0.51 as a 19-year-old with the Venezuelan Summer League Mariners.
Pryor, 22, combined for 10 saves with High Desert and Jackson last season. The hard-throwing right-hander averaged 11.05 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in 39 relief appearances. He was originally selected by Seattle in the 5th round of the 2010 June Draft out of Tennessee Tech University.
Snow, 23, went 5-12 with a 5.09 ERA (81 ER, 143.1 IP) in 28 appearances (21 GS) split between Clinton, High Desert and Tacoma. The University of Washington product led the Arizona Fall League with a 1.10 ERA (2 ER, 16.1 IP). Snow was originally selected in the 36th round of the 2010 June Draft.
Sucre, 23, split time between AA affiliates with Atlanta (Mississippi) and Seattle (Jackson) organizations last season. He combined to throw out 31 of 60 attempted base stealers (51.7%).
Henriquez, 24, saw action in 80 games last season with High Desert, Jackson and Tacoma. He was originally selected by Houston in the 2nd round of the 2005 June Draft and signed with Seattle as a minor league free agent on Dec. 11, 2009.
5 Mariners Among Top 100 Prospects
We blogged earlier today that MLB.com and MLB Network would unveil their top 100 prospects.
And we just found out that 5 Mariners are ranked among the top 100.
- C Jesus Montero (#12)
- LHP Danny Hultzen (#16)
- RHP Taijuan Walker (#18)
- INF Nick Franklin (#52)
- LHP James Paxton (#77)
The Mariners were one of five organizations to place at least 5 prospects on this year’s Top 100 list. The Padres, Rays and A’s each had six prospects on the list. But they ranked the highest with 329 Prospect Points (100 points to the team with the No. 1 prospect, 99 to the team with No. 2 and on down).
Top Prospect Points 1. Seattle 329 2. Kansas City 290 3. Pittsburgh 276 4. Atlanta 267 5. Arizona 253
MLB.com writer T.R. Sullivan caught up with Danny Hultzen and General Manager Jack Zduriencik in his piece on Mariners.com. Jonathan Mayo also breaks down the top 100 prospects in this detailed article.
And we can also note that 4 of the 5 players (Montero, Hultzen, Walker, Paxton) will be in town this weekend at FanFest.
- JE
Winter League Roundup
Many baseball fans are curious about winter league ball, what it is, and why players would leave the comforts of an off-season at home to go play. It is a chance for players to continue their development into Major League players. Teams usually send young players, someone who need more work because he didn’t get a full season in the minors, needs a little more experience, or a player coming off an injury who needs more playing time. MLB.com has a comprehensive list with statistics from most of the Mariners farmhands that participated in Winter Leagues this off-season.
Mariners minor league OF prospect Denny Almonte is hitting .299 with 10 home runs in the Australian Winter League (SMP Images / Ben Southall).
The Arizona Fall League provides all Major League organizations the opportunity to continue the development of their top prospects. Each club contributes players to make up the league, which consists of six teams, each stocked by five Big League clubs. The Mariners top prospects play for the Peoria Javelinas, along with players from the Brewers, Mets, Padres and Cardinals.
LHP Danny Hultzen, the Mariners first-round selection in the 2011 June draft, made his professional debut in the AFL. Hultzen was joined on the Peoria roster by right-handed pitchers Steven Hensley and Forrest Snow, left-handed pitcher Brian Moran, catcher Adam Moore, infielder Nick Franklin and outfielder Chi-Hsien Chiang.
Snow led the AFL in ERA (1.10), while finishing second in opponent average (.167) and WHIP (0.80). Snow, Moran (1.32) and Hultzen (1.40) finished 1-2-3 on the Peoria Javelinas in ERA. Hultzen and Franklin helped lead the West Division All-Stars to an 11-2 win over the East Division in the 6th-annual AFL Rising Stars Game. Hultzen earned the win after tossing 2.0 shutout innings. Franklin went 4-for-5 with 3 runs scored, 2 doubles, 1 home run and 4 RBI to earn MVP honors. He became the first player in AFL Rising Stars game history to record 4 hits, 4 RBI, 3 extra base hits or 2 doubles in the game. Hultzen was also named to the Arizona Fall League 2011 Top Prospects Team, going 1-0 with a 1.40 ERA (3 ER, 19.1 IP) in 6 starts.
Danny Hultzen went 1-0 with a 1.40 ERA in the Arizona Fall League (Jordan Megenhardt/MLB.com).
Winter ball is also played in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Mexico. At the end of the season, the champions of each league play each other in the Caribbean Series. The Mariners have a working agreement with teams in each league and send minor league players and coaches to help teams. It is also an opportunity for the Mariners organization scout talent from those countries as well as American players playing in Latin America. Some of the Mariners top prospects participated the winter leagues, including pitchers Erasmo Ramirez and Stephen Pryor, infielders Alex Liddi, Carlos Triunfel and Francisco Martinez and outfielders Johermyn Chavez and Carlos Peguero.
Peguero led the Dominican Winter League in home runs (11), extra-base hits (20), total bases (85), runs scored (29), intentional walks (9) and HR/AB ratio (1/15.09), while ranking 2nd in slugging percentage (.512) and 3rd in RBI (26). Overall he hit .259 (43×166) with 29 runs scored 9 doubles, 11 home runs and 29 RBI in 45 games with Gigantes del Cibao.
Ramirez went 2-1 with a 1.48 ERA (5 ER, 30.1 IP) in 6 starts with Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League before being shut down due to number of starts.
Down under, Mate! If it is snowing in Seattle it is likely warm and sunny in Australia. The Australian Baseball League is another popular destination with Mariners farmhands. Right-handed pitcher Jandy Sena, outfielders Denny Almonte, James Jones and James McOwen and catcher Carlton Tanabe are currently wrapping up the ABL.
James Jones is batting .302 for the Adelaide Bite in the Australian Winter League (SMP Images / Ryan Schembri).
Almonte (1×4, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB) and McOwen (3×4, R, 2B, BB) represented Team World in the inaugural Australian Baseball League All-Star Game, where the country’s best homegrown talent, Team Australia, took on the best international players in the ABL in Perth on December 21. Almonte was also named Australian Baseball League Round 5 Player of the Week (Dec. 1-3 – .563/9×16, 3 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 4 G), while McOwen was named Round 6 Player of the Week (Dec. 8-10, .533/8×15, 3 R, 3 2B, 3B, 3 RBI).
Almonte ranks amongst the league leaders in home runs (T5th, 10), total bases (6th, 90), runs scored (4th, 33), RBI (T3rd, 35), extra base hits (5th, 21) and at-bats (3rd, 171). McOwen currently leads the league in stolen bases (14) and tied for the lead in triples (2).
Looks like everyone will arrive in Arizona for Spring Training ready to compete for a roster spot. We look forward to seeing these young prospects in a Mariners uniform very soon.
- KM
Several Mariners Ranked Amongst Top MLB Prospects
A few of the Mariners top minor league prospects have garnered some national publicity lately as MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo is taking a look at baseball’s top 10 prospects at each position. MLB.com’s Top 50 Prospects list has been expanded to 100, and will be unveiled on Wednesday, Jan. 25, on MLB.com as well as on a one-hour show on MLB Network, airing at 7 p.m. PT.
So far, MLB.com has looked at what they consider the top crop of right-handed pitchers, left-handed pitchers and shortstops, and the Mariners are represented on each list.
Starting with the right-handed pitchers, Taijuan Walker ranks No. 8. Walker, who doesn’t even turn 20 until Aug. 13, was the Mariners first selection in the 2010 Major League Baseball June Draft, taken 43rd overall in the supplemental first round. Walker is coming off a phenomenal first full professional season, earning Mariners Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors and being named the Midwest League’s top prospect by Baseball America. The 6-4, 210-pound native of Yucaipa, Calif., went 6-5 with a 2.89 ERA (31 ER, 96.2 IP) in 18 starts with the Clinton LumberKings. Here is the excerpt from MLB.com on Taijuan:
With the way Walker pitched in his first full season, the Mariners will quickly forget they didn’t have a first-round pick in 2010. The SoCal high school product was a multi-sport star and, as a result, is really focusing on pitching full-time for the first time as a professional. So far, so good, as Walker has been dominant as the Mariners have been cautious with him up until this point. The stuff is there, with a mid-to-high 90s fastball and excellent curve. His changeup is rapidly improving. That three-pitch mix, his size and athleticism could all add up to a frontline starter in the future.
Taijuan Walker was the Mariners Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2011 (Paul R. Gierhart/MiLB.com ).
A pair of Mariners are listed amongst the top 10 left-handed pitchers: Danny Hultzen (No. 3) & James Paxton (No. 8).
Hultzen had a dominant debut in the Arizona Fall League, posting a 1-0 record with a 1.40 ERA (3 ER, 19.1 IP) in 6 starts with the Peoria Javelinas. He was the No. 2 overall selection in the 2011 June Amateur Draft out of the University of Virginia. His college career included a 32-5 record with a 2.08 ERA. Here is the excerpt from MLB.com on Danny:
While most thought the Mariners would go after Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, they actually had their sights set on Hultzen all along. The University of Virginia product is the kind of college lefty who is expected to move quickly, but he’s more than just a command/pitchability type. Hultzen’s velocity increased in his junior season, giving him a plus fastball from the left side as well as a plus changeup. His breaking ball — a slider — isn’t quite as good as those first two, but it’s a serviceable pitch, and Hultzen is the type of player who will work to improve it. If his performance in the Arizona Fall League is any indication, he should indeed be able to move quickly through the Mariners’ system.
Danny has been a busy guy recently. He recently attended Major League Baseball’s Rookie Career Development Program at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, VA (along with Paxton, Steve Delabar & Erasmo Ramirez). You can watch an interview with him at the Rookie Development Program talking about his performance in the Arizona Fall League and what is goals are for the 2012 season. And Danny also caught up with David Heck at MiLB.com for a fun Q&A.
Danny Hultzen went 1-0 with a 1.40 ERA in the Arizona Fall League (Jordan Megenhardt/MLB.com).
Paxton was listed as the No. 8 top left-handed pitching prospect, and could be one of the most intriguing names on the list. James didn’t sign with the Mariners until March, after being selected in the 4th round of the 2010 June Draft. He quickly made a name for himself as one of the premier strikeout pitchers, ranking ranked 2nd in the minor leagues with 12.41 strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched. Here is the excerpt from MLB.com on James:
Paxton didn’t sign with the Mariners until March 2011, but he made up for lost time quickly by double-jumping from low Class A to Double-A during the season, pitching well at both levels. His two best pitches are his fastball — a truly plus offering he can crank up into the upper-90s — and an excellent power breaking ball. The improvement he’s shown with his changeup is a big reason why the Mariners are even more excited about his potential as a Major League starter. He was shut down a bit early last year, more as a precaution than anything. Seeing him Seattle’s rotation soon is not out of the question.
James Paxton ranked 2nd in the minors averaging 12.41 K/9.0 IP (Paul R. Gierhart/MiLB.com).
Nick Franklin was ranked as the No. 6 shortstop prospect. Despite missing an extended period of time in 2011 with a concussion after being hit in the head with a bat, Nick still had a solid “sophomore” campaign batting .281 (99×352) with 64 runs scored, 13 doubles, 7 triples, 7 home runs and 26 RBI with the AZL Mariners, High Desert Mavericks and Jackson Generals. He capped his 2011 season being named the MVP of the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game, going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a home run. Here is the MLB.com excerpt on Nick:
After Franklin went 20-20 in his first full season, everyone was excited to see what he would do in year No 2 in the Mariners system. But the 2011 season really never got going for the infielder because he was hit in the face with a bat during batting practice in June. He did eventually return and played well in the Arizona Fall League, named the No. 14 prospect there by MLB.com. Some feel a move from shortstop might be in Franklin’s future, but he’s played well enough to stay there for the time being. With 2011 now firmly behind him, Franklin will finally get the chance to show that 2010 was no fluke.
Nick Franklin was rated by MLB.com as the No. 6 top shortstop prospect (Ben VanHouten/Mariners).
