This has been an absolute rollercoaster season for Mariners fans. A team that once led the division by over 10 games now finds itself on the sidelines as the Astros now have a 3.5 game lead with just 28 games remaining. While the talk for the next month or so will certainly revolve around the major league team and its lack of offense, as well as newly minted manager Dan Wilson, there is plenty to be excited about in Seattle’s farm system.

I know it can be hard to get excited about a farm system when the major league club is struggling and has blown a division lead of epic proportions, but this system has the potential for some superstars. Fans should be excited about their development as future Mariners and also the ammunition to add more stars in the coming offseason.

Jerry Dipoto, Justin Hollander and Scott Hunter have given their all in their recent drafts and international signing periods, giving fans a ton of talent to look forward to. Some of their older draft picks are slowly climbing into the minor leagues, while their newer picks are flashing their immense potential and attracting a lot of attention.

Bleacher Report recently published an article titled “MLB’s Top 25 Prospects Age 20 or Younger in 2024” that featured some of the Mariners’ young prospects. Guys like Ryan Sloan, Felnin Celesten, and Jonny Farmelo received honorable mentions. These three young prospects all have the potential to be future stars and could become true top-50 prospects as early as next year.

Mariners farm system honored with 2 of the 10 best young talents under 20 years old

The first Mariners prospect mentioned is the team’s top prospect, Colt Emerson. Selected 22nd in 2023, Emerson immediately rewarded the Mariners by crushing Modesto and the Rookie League, hitting .374/.496/.550 with 17 walks and 20 strikeouts. He’s continued that in 2024, heading to Everett and hitting .255/.399/.368.

The power numbers aren’t great, with just three home runs and a .368 slugging percentage, but that’s to be expected from a prospect who just turned 19. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Emerson’s game is his ability to control the zone; the .399 on-base percentage jumps out at you, but the fact that he has more walks (46) than strikeouts (44) against older competition this year shows an advanced approach and someone who should become a very good hitter.

The second hitter mentioned is a very different type of player than the Mariners’ top prospect. Lazaro Montes came into the game as the eighth-best prospect under the age of 20, a profile that predicts a completely different career. While Emerson relies more on hitting than power and offers some athleticism, Montes has immense power potential, often drawing comparisons to Yordan Alvarez and crowning him “Baby Yordan.”

Of course, these comparisons are lofty, but the young left-hander has done his best to live up to the hype. Heading to Everett with Emerson, Montes hit .293/.396/.473 with 17 home runs and 93 RBIs in 105 games. For a 19-year-old hitter, his 24% strikeout rate is impressive, especially when combined with his nearly 14% walk rate. Montes has the potential to be the best pure hitter the Mariners have developed in a long time, and his progress will be followed by all Mariners fans who dream of having their own Yordan Alvarez to torment Astros fans with.

This time of year can be tough. The Mariners are struggling to hold onto the division lead, Scott Servais is no longer the coach, and things just aren’t going well for Seattle. Hopefully focusing on some bright spots on the field has brought some joy to your Mariners fans. Now let’s hope Dan and Edgar get this team on track and get the offense up to speed so they can aim for the division title.