Ranking Seattle Mariners' Most Major League-Ready Prospects for Next Season

The Seattle Mariners had several prospects make their major league debuts in 2014, with a few of them going on to be important contributors on a contending ballclub.

Roenis Elias, James Jones, Dominic Leone, Carson Smith, Chris Taylor and Stefen Romero all made their way to Seattle from the minors this year. With James Paxton and Taijuan Walker also in the majors, the Mariners figure to have quite a few young players on their roster next year.

Expect more prospects to debut in 2015. While many of Seattle's top pitchers have already reached the majors, a few position players should be on the way in the near future.

D.J. Peterson and Patrick Kivlehan shared Seattle's Minor League Player of the Year honors and rank among the Mariners' most major league ready prospects for next season, along with a few others.

Honorable Mention

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press/Associated Press

When - or if - Danny Hultzen will be ready to pitch in the majors is a complete question mark.

Danny Hultzen, SP

Hultzen was nearly ready for the majors in 2013 before suffering a devastating shoulder injury. After undergoing surgery to repair a labrum and rotator cuff in October 2013, Hultzen began a throwing program in July and should be able to pitch in the Arizona Fall League.

As such, Hultzen is a complete question mark for 2015. He's attempting to come back from one of the hardest injuries a pitcher can face and may never be the same again, but if Hultzen looks healthy in the fall league and in the minors next season, he could be an option late in the year.

Ketel Marte, SS

Marte is just 20 years old and thus more of an option for 2015, but he has done nothing but impress so far. He was already promoted to Triple-A in August and should have nobody blocking him for playing time next season with Chris Taylor and Brad Miller both in the majors.

Through his first 19 games in Tacoma, Marte has hit .313/.367/.450. Marte's glove and baserunning have always been plus tools, but if he continues to hit well he will be in the majors soon enough.

Julio Morban, OF

Like Hultzen, Morban was on a fast track to the majors before suffering a broken leg in mid-2013. Morban was able to play again this year, appearing in 59 games, but didn't produce at nearly the same level as he did before the injury.

If Morban can return to his 2013 form, where he posted a 140 wRC+ in 86 games in Double-A, he will be in the majors next season. Morban will likely start the year in Triple-A and will look to improve as he gets further removed from the injury.

5. Jabari Blash, Outfield

Blash was likely going to get a look in Seattle in 2014 before being suspended 50 games in late June for drug abuse. That suspension is going to slow Blash down, but his bat is going to lead him to Seattle by at least September 2015 if not before.

The 25-year-old has progressed slowly through the minor leagues but is finally about ready to transition to the majors. Blash's power is his best skill, as he had one of the top home run totals in the minors before his suspension and hit 18 home runs in 82 games between Double-A and Triple-A overall.

Blash isn't going to hit for a high average, as he struck out in 30.2 percent of his at-bats in Triple-A this season. He's still posted good walk rates throughout his minor league career and has had enough power to cover up the high strikeout rate.

With Michael Saunders' continuing fragile health, the Mariners will likely need some more corner outfield depth at some point in 2015. If Blash rebounds from the suspension well in early 2015, he will get a look.

4. D.J. Peterson, 1B/3B

Mariners fans know that Peterson carries a lot of Seattle's hopes for the future. He's lived up to the hype so far and could reach Seattle in the second half of 2015 if he continues at his current pace.

Peterson's power is his most exciting tool, as he smashed 31 home runs between High-A and Double-A in 2014. The 22-year-old took some time to adjust to both levels but finished strong with a .261/.335/.473 line in 58 games with Jackson.

The Mariners may choose to send Peterson back to Double-A to begin 2015, but he will be in Tacoma soon enough. Expect another adjustment period, but if Peterson continues to hit well the Mariners are going to be under a lot of pressure to call him up after the All-Star break.

Peterson will need to make the transition to full-time first base, which could slow his track to the majors down but will also give him more opportunities for playing time once he reaches Seattle.

3. Patrick Kivlehan, 3B/OF

Kivlehan was never rated as one of Seattle's top prospects, but he put up better numbers than anyone in the system in 2014.

The 24-year-old played football for his first three years at Rutgers and was a bit slow to develop in his early minor league career, but he finally found some consistency in 2014. Kivlehan started the year in High-A before playing the last 104 games in the season in Double-A, posting a .300/.374/.485 line.

Kivlehan looks to have a plus hit tool with decent power, as he slugged 20 home runs between the two levels this season. He likely will be moved full time to the corner outfield but has the athleticism to seamlessly make the transition.

Whatever position Kivlehan ends up in, he has proved that he is a critical part of Seattle's future. Kivlehan discussed his breakout season with Dan Duggan of NJ.com: "I definitely took some good steps forward. I think I proved things to myself and to the Mariners and the rest of the baseball, that I am a baseball player. I'm not just a flash-in-the-pan football player."

Seattle should move Kivlehan to Triple-A to begin the season and will have no choice but to call him up in the second half if he continues to hit well.

2. Ji-Man Choi, 1B

Much like Blash, Choi was well on his way to the majors before being hit with a 50-game suspension in mid-April. Choi turned in a slightly disappointing season after returning in June, although he still has some advanced skills that looked ready for the majors.

Choi drew interest in the minors for his patient approach and ability to collect extra-base hits despite not being a huge home run threat. In 2014, Choi hit .283/.381/.392 with 14 extra-base hits in 70 games.

If Choi is to reach the majors early in 2015, he will have to match the extra-base hit rate of 36 doubles and 18 home runs that he posted in 2013. The Mariners will be watching closely to see if Choi can get back to the form he was in before the suspension, but his high walk rate and low strikeout rate indicate his plate approach is ready for the majors.

In any case, the Mariners won't have many great options at first base or designated hitter in 2015, barring any free-agent signings, so Choi will probably reach the majors sooner rather than later.

1. Ty Kelly, INF

Since coming over from the Baltimore Orioles in mid-2013, Kelly has used his versatility to become one of Triple-A Tacoma's most valuable players.

Kelly can play anywhere in the infield, move over to the outfield in an emergency and hits well from both sides of the plate as a switch-hitter. He hit .263/.381/.414 this season with 15 home runs, easily besting his career high of nine in 2012.

A versatile switch-hitting defender with great patience and decent power adds up to a valuable bench piece at the very least. Kelly's plate approach seems to indicate he's ready to head to the majors, as he posted a 15.5 percent walk rate in 2014 compared to a 17.5 percent strikeout rate.

Kelly discussed his unique patient approach with Colin O'Keefe of Lookout Landing.

"

It all starts with a situation, and that can be your first at-bat of the game. You’ve never seen the guy and you want to see some pitches, and see what kind of off-speed pitches he has. There’s nothing worse than going into an at-bat, swinging at the first pitch and then your next at-bat you go up there and all you see there are two fastballs on the outside corner that you don't swing at—and then throws his strikeout pitch and you have no idea what it looks like. You end up flailing at a slider in the dirt.

"

After two full successful years at Triple-A, Kelly looks like the most major league ready prospect in Seattle's organization. It comes as a surprise that Kelly wasn't a September call-up after Willie Bloomquist was lost for the season following knee surgery, as his skill set would have filled a nice role.

Kelly could make the team right out of spring training, although the Mariners might wait to see how Bloomquist is recovering. Either way, expect Kelly in Seattle sometime in the near future.