Mariners' farm system moves up to No. 2

Even as some of the Mariners top prospects like Jarred Kelenic, Logan Gilbert and Taylor Trammell have graduated to the big leagues, the Mariners' farm system ranks as one of the best in baseball.

The Mariners were ranked No. 2 in MLB Pipeline’s updated farm system rankings behind only the Orioles. Seattle’s system was ranked No. 3 in the 2021 preseason rankings and No. 9 in the 2020 preseason rankings.

Manager Scott Servais said the rise has been an organizational effort.

“I think it's great. Certainly, we have a lot of very talented young players,” Servais said. “Our organization's obviously gone through quite an overhaul here over the last three or four years from where our farm system was, so it's a credit to all of our scouts, the people that have gone out and seen these players, and then once they get into our uniform, the people in player development have done a heck of a job.”

The strong farm system is headlined by MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 overall prospect Julio Rodríguez. This season Rodríguez has slashed .325/.424/.547, has hit 10 homers and driven in 32 runs with time split between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas.

Along with Rodríguez, the Mariners have three other prospects ranked in the Top 100. Those names include shortstop Noelvi Marte (No. 11) and right-handed pitchers George Kirby (No. 35) and Emerson Hancock (No. 36).

Kirby and Hancock, both former first-round Draft picks, are assigned to Arkansas after starting the season in Everett. The 19-year-old Marte has spent the entire '21 season with Low-A Modesto.

It is thought from some scouts that Harry Ford, the Mariners’ first-round pick in the 2021 Draft, could become a Top 100 prospect in the near future, as well. Ford is ranked No. 5 on the Mariners' Top 30 prospects list, according to MLB Pipeline.