The AquaSox’s Kyle Lewis (right) talks with hitting coach Brian Hunter during a workout on June 16 at Everett Memorial Stadium. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

The AquaSox’s Kyle Lewis (right) talks with hitting coach Brian Hunter during a workout on June 16 at Everett Memorial Stadium. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Early signs say M’s will keep sending top prospects to Everett

Last Friday night, I was back at my old Everett Memorial Stadium stomping grounds, filling in on the Everett AquaSox beat. Although I was ostensibly there to cover the AquaSox’s doubleheader against the Eugene Emeralds, I was struck by one fact that had little to do with the outcome:

Kyle Lewis was still there.

The Seattle Mariners’ first-round pick from June’s amateur draft, who began his professional career with Everett, was still with the AquaSox more than three weeks into the season, and that provides the first clue about the new regime’s philosophy regarding the promotion of its minor-league players.

This is an important issue to those of us here in Everett. One of the best things about having a minor-league affiliate of the local major-league team is that it provides the opportunity to see the players before they ever reach Safeco Field, in a setting where they’re more accessible for both the media and the fans. We get to say we got in on the ground level of the trendy tech start-up. We’re the cool kids who saw a band play a small club before it began selling out stadiums.

But that only works if Seattle’s best prospects actually pass through Everett.

I began covering the Sox for The Herald in 2004, which means I had the chance to see the team operate under two previous general managers, Bill Bavasi and Jack Zduriencik. Those two had strikingly different approaches toward promotion in the minors, both with regards to their top prospects and the organization as a whole. Therefore, I couldn’t help but be curious about how things would work now that GM Jerry Dipoto and farm director Andy McKay are at the helm.

When Bavasi was the Mariners’ general manager from 2004-08, the Mariners were all about pushing their players up the ladder as quickly as possible. This manifested itself in two ways.

First, the organization’s top prospects usually bypassed Everett completely. The Mariners made four first-round draft picks during those years, and only one of those ever set foot in the Northwest League. That one player, 2005 first rounder Jeff Clement, spent all of four days with the Sox before being sent on his way. It always baffled me why the organization chose not to introduce its top prospects to the fans who, if all worked out developmentally, would be cheering them in Mariners jerseys in the future. But rarely did we get that opportunity.

Second, even players who weren’t on the top-prospect lists were pushed aggressively. If a player had a good week or two, chances were he’d soon be on his way to the Midwest League. The idea was to challenge the players as much as possible, but it meant we never really got to know the good ones. It’s no coincidence that the Sox finished with some awful records in those seasons.

Things changed significantly when Zduriencik was Seattle’s GM from 2008-15. Zduriencik took a decidedly more patient approach with his minor-league players, at least at the lower levels. That meant most of Seattle’s top prospects found themselves in Sox uniforms at some point. Of Zduriencik’s six first-round selections, four played for Everett. The Sox also tended to get almost all of the team’s high collegiate draft picks.

Those players stayed in Everett longer, too. In 2012, first-rounder Mike Zunino spent a full month with the Sox, despite dominating the league from the moment he arrived at Everett Memorial Stadium. He he compiled an obscene 1.210 OPS in 29 games. The following year, first-rounder D.J. Peterson did the same, pounding the ball for a full month with the Sox as he drove in 27 runs in 29 games. Last year, 2014 first-rounder Alex Jackson spent the entire season with Everett.

That philosophy was reflected in the standings, with Everett making four playoff appearances, including winning the 2010 Northwest League championship, a feat the Sox hadn’t accomplished since becoming a Mariners affiliate in 1995. The winning gave fans a reason to follow the team, rather than just the players.

Therefore, we have a major stake in how Dipoto and McKay operate. Will they be more like Bavasi, sending us back to the dark days of short stays for stars and mediocrity on the field? Or will they be more like Zduriencik and give us the chance to truly absorb Seattle’s future?

If Lewis and the rest of this year’s roster provide the pattern, then fans at Everett Memorial Stadium can let out their collective breaths. It seems we’re still going to get our chance to observe the Mariners’ best young talent with the Sox.

We’ve seen the Mariners commit to sending their top college draft picks to Everett. Of Seattle’s first eight picks in this year’s draft, seven were selected out of college. All seven began their professional careers with the Sox.

We’ve seen the Mariners show a willingness to allow those high draft picks to season at one location. As of Monday, all seven of those high picks out of college were still with Everett, nearly a month since the season began.

It’s a small sample size, and McKay’s own words suggest it won’t necessarily always be this way.

“There’s no formula (for promotion),” McKay said. “To me it’s when it’s just obvious, when I go to a game and I just feel this guy is at the wrong place. If I have to think about it, he’s not ready. The moves that we’ve made to me were those type of moves. Andrew Moore in the Cal League, we were hurting him by keeping him here. Edwin Diaz in Double-A. I always go back to my experience with Colorado where we had a Triple-A team my first year there and we had (Nolan) Arenado, (DJ) LeMahieu, (Corey) Dickerson, (Charlie) Blackmon, and I remember sitting there thinking these guys are in the wrong league. When I feel that strongly, that’s kind of the criteria. But there’s no formula there.”

Yet the early indications are promising for those of us in Everett. And hopefully it means that in the future, when we make that jaunt down to Seattle to see the Mariners, we’ll still be able to say, “Hey, I remember seeing that guy when …”

For more on the Seattle sports scene, follow Nick Patterson on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Arlington’s Leyton Martin puts three fingers in the air after making a three point shot during the game against Glacier Peak on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Saturday, Feb. 15

Leyton Martin’s triple-double leads Arlington to district win

Monroe's Halle Keller drives past Meadowdale's Payton Fleishman during a Feb. 14, 2025 3A District 1 playoff game at Meadowdale High School. (Qasim Ali / The Herald)
Last-second layup powers Monroe past Mavs

The Bearcats staged a 50-49 road upset in a district playoff clash.

Shorecrest’s Cassie Chesnut leaps in the air to block a shot by Shorewood’s Bridget Cox during the 3A district playoff game on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Shorecrest girls win rubber match against Shorewood

Cassie Chesnut’s 28 points, 18 rebounds pushes the Scots to District 1 3A semifinals with 53-38 win.

Freshman leads Jackson to 4A district swim title

Syunta Lee sets two meet records as Timberwolves edge Lake Stevens.

Shorecrest wins 3A district swim title

Snohomish’s Torsten Hokanson sets two meet records and leads two winning relays.

Marysville Pilchuck claims 2A district wrestling title

Tomahawks win three individual championship bouts.

Snohomish’s Kendall Hammer yells in celebration with teammate Snohomish’s Sienna Capelli after she makes a shot and is fouled during the game on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Friday, Feb. 14

Snohomish, Stanwood girls cruise into district semis.

Gonzaga sets school record with 33 assists in blowout

The first half started with Khalif Battle hitting consecutive 3-pointers… Continue reading

Mountlake Terrace’s Svayjeet Singh leaps in the air after the basketball during the 3A district loser-out playoff game against Snohomish on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish upsets Mountlake Terrace for first playoff win in 11 years

Bryson Wheat scored 25 in Panthers’ 49-43 win to advance to the District 1 Boys 3A quarterfinals

Julio Rodríguez (left) and manager Dan Wilson (right) of the Seattle Mariners react after the game against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park on Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Dan Wilson begins first spring training as M’s manager

An anxious eagerness to get through the first of… Continue reading

Marysville Getchell junior Bubba Palocol reverses directions while dribbling against Arlington during a playoff matchup at Arlington High School on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Arlington, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Thursday, Feb. 13

Marysville Getchell, Lakewood boys each earn district wins

Kenneth Walker III runs with against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 1, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks hire run game coach

Justin Outten added to staff as Mike Macdonald continues attempts to bolster rushing attack.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.