The Seattle Mariners farm system has been one of the organization’s biggest successes over the past few years.

The Mariners began the season with their farm system ranked in the middle of the pack. But the rise of several prospects like Colt Emerson, Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo have helped the farm rise through the ranks.

By the end of the season, Seattle had eight players ranked in Baseball America’s top 100 (most in the league) and five ranked in MLB Pipeline’s top 100.

And more Mariners prospects received more accolades from Baseball America in one article published by Dylan White on Tuesday.

In the article, White coined the nickname “elite swing decision makers.” The term was used to refer to prospects with a healthy swing ratio on pitches inside the strike zone to go with low strikeout percentages.

The mark for prospects to be considered elite in their swing choices was a zone swing percentage of 74% or higher and a follow-through percentage of 27% or lower.

White made this distinction to help differentiate between set players who can recognize hittable pitches and lay off breaking and offspeed offerings.

By that metric, Seattle catcher Harry Ford and shortstop Michael Arroyo both qualify as elite swing makers. Ford had a zone swing percentage of about 75% with a follow-up percentage of just under 17%.

Ford played the entire season with the organization’s Double-A Arkansas Travelers. He batted .249 with seven home runs and 45 RBI.

Arroyo had an even 60/60 split with the Low-A Modesto Nuts and High-A Everett AquaSox, totaling 120 contests. He hit .285 with 23 home runs and 89 RBI.

A former Mariners prospect, RJ Schreck, was in the same category as Ford and Arroyo. He had a field goal percentage of just over 19% with a swing rate in the zone of about 76.5%. Schreck was traded outright to the Toronto Blue Jays for Justin Turner on July 29.

There was also a category of “passive hitters”. This name was given to players with a zone swing percentage below 74% and a follow-up percentage below 27%. Basically, hitters who prefer to give up pitches. Exactly what it sounds like. Passive.

According to White’s article, only one Seattle prospect was mentioned in that category: outfielder Jonny Farmelo. He had a swing rate in the zone of just over 58% and struck out at a rate of just under 21%. Farmelo played in 46 games this season before being placed on the 60-day disabled list on June 14 with a torn ACL. His sample size was significantly smaller than Ford and Arroyo, who both played over 100 games.

Farmelo played in all 46 games with the Nuts and hit .264 with four home runs and 25 RBI.

There were two other categories of hitters included in the article: free-swingers (over 74% zone swing rate, over 27% chase rate) and danger zone hitters (under 74% zone swing rate, over 27% tracking). rate).

Fortunately for Mariners fans, none of the organization’s prospects have been listed as a danger zone or free hitter.

There are several ways this is encouraging for Seattle’s agricultural system. First, minor leaguers are taught to swing patiently and with discipline. That Arroyo qualified as an elite hitter while leading 19-year-old or younger prospects with home runs is impressive.

The second positive is that this is extremely encouraging for when these prospects debut in the majors. Of course, it’s the minor leagues. Pitchers aren’t as precise with their throws, and hitters can pick up the news and routines more easily than in the big leagues.

But it’s still encouraging that several of the Mariners’ top prospects seem to be developing proper habits.

The biggest thing that remains to be seen is how he continues to grow and develop and transfer those lessons to classes.

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