Mariners now have the most prospects in Baseball America’s Top 100

Sep 6, 2024, 4:19 PM

A Seattle Mariners hat and glove before a 2022 game. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

BY CAMERON VAN TIL

Seattle Sports

The Seattle Mariners now have the most prospects of any organization in Baseball America’s Top 100.

Mariners Breakdown: An updated look at their playoff hopes

Michael Arroyo, a 19-year-old Colombian second baseman in the Mariners’ organization, moved into Baseball America’s latest Top 100 as the No. 98 overall prospect. That gives the Mariners eight top-100 prospects, seven of which are position players.

The Detroit Tigers have seven prospects in the Top 100, while the Cleveland Guardians, the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs each have six.

Arroyo has split the season between Low-A Modesto and High-A Everett, batting a combined .282/.399/.509 with 23 home runs, seven triples, 24 doubles, 16 stolen bases and a .908 OPS in 117 games. His stats have been nearly identical at both levels. He hit .279 with 11 homers and a .904 OPS in 60 games at Modesto, and then batted .285 with 12 homers and a .912 OPS in 57 games at Everett.

Arroyo is coming off a scorching August in Everett, hitting .325 with seven homers, nine doubles and a .980 OPS in 27 games.

Michael Arroyo joins @BaseballAmerica’s Top 100 prospect list! 👏

We now have 8️⃣ prospects on the Top 100 list, the most in baseball. pic.twitter.com/uCorPwX2Zg

— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) September 5, 2024

Arroyo signed with the Mariners in January 2022 for a reported $1.375 million, the largest signing bonus ever given to a Colombian amateur, according to Baseball America. He made his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2022 and then spent most of the 2023 season at Modesto, where he helped the Nuts to the California League title. He went 9 for 16 with three extra-base hits and seven RBIs in Modesto’s four playoff games.

“Arroyo is an advanced hitting infielder with strong plate skills and above-average power,” Baseball American wrote. “Arroyo hit over 20 home runs split between both Class A levels at just 19 years old. His future defensive home in the infield has some question marks, but the bat should be enough to carry the profile.”