Former AquaSox Lewis selected for MLB Futures Game

Published 1:30 am Friday, July 6, 2018

By Ryan Divish / The Seattle Times

A year ago, Kyle Lewis was just trying to get his troublesome right knee healthy enough to play more than a handful of times a week. Now, he’s heading to Washington D.C. to join the best prospects in baseball and participate in the 2018 Sirius XM Futures Game.

Lewis was the only player from the Seattle Mariners’ system selected to participate in the prestigious game, which is held on Sunday, July 15, at Nationals Park. The game will be televised on MLB Network. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. PST.

After undergoing offseason surgery to clean up some scar tissue in his right knee, Lewis got a delayed start to the 2018 season. But once cleared by medical staff, he reported to High-A Modesto and has been solid, hitting .262 with a .744 on-base plus slugging percentage, 14 doubles, five homers and 27 RBI in 41 games.

The Mariners have been cautious with Lewis in his return to the field, using him at designated hitter and in the corner outfield spots besides playing his natural position of center field.

Lewis was considered a draft steal for the Mariners when he fell to the No. 11 pick in the 2016 draft.

But his development was sidetracked early in his first professional season. Lewis suffered a ghastly knee injury sliding into home in a game for the Class A Everett AquaSox. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, torn medial and lateral meniscus in his right knee when it bent awkwardly while colliding with the catcher.

Lewis spent a 12 months rehabbing the knee in Arizona, moving to the area to focus on the recovery. But in his first official game back from the surgery, he banged the knee against the outfield wall while trying to make a catch, bruising it and leading to more trouble. Lewis played sparingly in 2017 and was pulled from the Arizona Fall League after the knee continued to bother him.