Seattle Mariners: Breaking Down the Top 5 Prospects in the Mariners' Farm System

The Seattle Mariners have taken several bold steps over the last two years to upgrade their impotent offense. The biggest move was trading 23-year-old potential ace-in-the-making Michael Pineda to New York for Jesus Montero. 

While the Yankees may have gotten the headlines for making the deal, Montero has a special bat that Seattle will love. He is going to provide a much-needed boost in the middle of the lineup, and putting him alongside Dustin Ackley and Justin Smoak can cure what ails this team. 

Despite trading Pineda, the Mariners still have tremendous pitching depth down on the farm. In fact, that depth is what made it possible for the team to deal the young ace. 

Optimism is making its way back to the Emerald City, and here are five players who will get the franchise back in the playoff hunt very soon. 

1. Jesus Montero, C/DH, 22

Montero has been one of the most talked about prospects in baseball for the last four years. Part of that is because he was a member of the Yankees, but mostly, it was because of how great his bat is. He might be the best all-around hitter in the minors right now. 

Strengths: There is nothing Montero can't do with a bat in his hands. He has a great swing, is quick to the ball and has enough power to drive it out to all fields. He has a patient approach at the plate, working deep counts and a great feel for the strike zone. Despite his defensive woes, he does have a good throwing arm. 

Weaknesses: The bat will play anywhere, but Montero has nowhere to play on the diamond. He is too big for catcher and doesn't block or receive well. He could potentially play first base if asked, but his future is likely as a designated hitter. He has virtually no speed at all, and is no threat on the bases. 

Report: Montero can hit third or fourth in a lineup. He is going to produce huge offensive numbers, with .300 batting averages and 30-35 home runs in the near future. He is a special player on offense and can carry a team on his back. 

ETA: 2012

2. Taijuan Walker, RHP, 19

The Mariners found Walker in the supplemental first round of the 2010 draft, and he rewarded them with a brilliant full-season debut in low Class A last season. His stock has skyrocketed in the last 12 months. He can be a fixture at the top of the rotation in the not-too-distant future. 

Strengths: Walker already shows an advanced feel for pitching and uses it to make his already-dominant stuff look even better. His fastball sits in the mid-90s with good movement. He will also attack hitters with a hard-breaking curveball that is almost unhittable when he is commanding it. His changeup is not as refined as the other pitches, but he does have better feel for it today. 

Weaknesses: He still has work to do commanding his pitches consistently. His offspeed pitches lag behind his fastball, and he will have to improve that as he moves up the ladder. 

Report: Walker has the makings of a No. 1 starter, with his delivery and dominant arsenal that will allow him to miss a lot of bats. At just 19 years old, he still has a few years of development ahead of him before he truly taps into his full potential. 

ETA: 2015

3. Danny Hultzen, LHP, 22

While Hultzen was a great college pitcher with the stuff and makeup to be a quality major league pitcher, it was still a shock when the Mariners made him the No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft because there were players on the board with more upside and potential. 

Strengths: Hultzen's best asset is his polish and command of his pitches. He has a low-90s fastball, a terrific changeup that will likely end up being his best pitch thanks to its late fade and a good slider. He can throw any pitch in any count to get hitters out. He is not going to need much time in the minors.

Weaknesses: Unlike most prospects who you will see, Hultzen is what he is. There is no projection left in his body or arm. He is going to be a solid starting pitcher, but his actual ceiling is not what you would expect from a No. 2 pick in one of the deepest drafts in history. 

Report: Depending on how the command of his slider comes along, Hultzen could end up as a No. 2 or 3 in the big leagues. Odds are more likely that he will wind up being the latter, and the team will plug him in behind Felix Hernandez at the start of the 2013 season. 

ETA: 2013

4. James Paxton, LHP, 23

With their third pitching prospect in the top four players, you can understand why the Mariners were comfortable making the deal for Montero. Paxton actually has more upside than Hultzen, but his lack of polish make his floor quite a bit lower. 

Strengths: Paxton easily has top-of-the-rotation stuff, mixing a low to mid-90s fastball with a dominant curveball that is a true swing and miss pitch. His delivery has gotten a lot better over the last year, without so much extraneous movement, and that allows him to control pitches in the zone. 

Weaknesses: Despite improving his control, he is still figuring out how to command pitches in the strike zone. He is still trying to figure out his delivery, though he did make strides with it last year. His changeup can be a weapon, but he does not have a good feel for it right now. 

Report: Paxton has the upside of a No. 2 starter, and his improved performance last year makes it more likely that he can reach that ceiling. Finding command of all his pitches in the strike zone will be his biggest priority in 2012. 

ETA: 2013

5. Nick Franklin, SS, 20

Franklin made up for an injury-plagued 2011 season with a dominant performance against Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole in the Arizona Fall League last November. His stock might be down just a bit, but he looks healthy and ready to get back to being the player he was in 2010 when he hit 23 home runs. 

Strengths: He is a switch-hitter with a good approach and swing from the left side of the plate. He has a hard swing that will allow him to hit for more power than you might think just looking at him. His defense at shortstop is still developing, but he shows good range at the position. 

Weaknesses: Franklin has never been a strong hitter from the right side. He doesn't have the same power, and he doesn't make enough contact. He does not have the arm for shortstop, nor does he understand how to read the ball off the bat. He could move to second base in the big leagues. 

Report: Franklin's bat will easily play at second base or shortstop in the big leagues. He can hit for a good average, draw walks and hit for average power. He must improve his reads at shortstop in order to stay there. 

ETA: 2013

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