Mariners OF prospect impressing in 2nd pro season

Another Seattle Mariners prospect is gaining attention for his solid start to the 2026 season.

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Outfielder Yorger Bautista, an international signing in 2025, was recognized by Baseball America on Friday as one of five prospects who caught the publication’s attention during its update of the top 30 prospects for each organization.

Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes noted that he received more positive feedback from opposing scouts about the 18-year-old Bautista than almost any player, and highlighted his “plus-plus power with solid contact skills.” He added that adjustments Bautista has made and the year-over-year improvements he’s shown at the plate thus far could lead to a breakout season for the Venezuelan outfielder.

Among the year-over-year improvements Baseball America noted for Bautista were average exit velocity (up from 89.1 mph to 93.2 mph), max exit velocity (up from 111.3 mph to 117.4 mph) and in-zone contact percentage (up from 62.4% to 81%).

Pontes wrote that Bautista would be his pick to crack Baseball America’s top 100 prospects in the next year among the five players on his list.

You can read Pontes’ full report here.

The left-handed-hitting Bautista was the Mariners’ top international free agent signing in 2025, inking a $2.1 million deal with the organization. He was ranked as the No. 6 overall international prospect for his class by MLB Pipeline.

Bautista, ranked as the Mariners’ No. 10 prospect by Baseball America, played in 53 games in the Dominican Summer League last year, slashing .223/.326/.404 with a .730 OPS, seven homers, eight doubles, three triples and 10 stolen bases. He was named to the DSL’s American League All-Star team.

In 15 games in the Arizona Complex League this year, he has a .255/.323/.436 slash line with a .759 OPS, two homers, four doubles and four stolen bases.

Bautista got the chance to showcase his skills on a bigger stage during spring training when he was one of the stars of the Spring Breakout Game between the Mariners and Brewers on March 20, a matchup between the top prospects in each organization. The young slugger hit a triple in his second at-bat and closed his day with a mammoth solo home run to right field in the ninth inning at American Family Fields of Phoenix.

Former Mariner makes the list

Ex-Mariners prospect Tai Peete, who was sent to the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the three-team trade on Feb. 2 that brought Brendan Donovan to Seattle, joined Bautista on Baseball America’s list.

Pontes noted that Peete’s improvements are coming in an unexpected way, as he’s swinging more and making less contract but also making hard contract more consistently.

Peete, 20, had a tough time making the jump to High-A Everett while in the Mariners’ organization last year. The left-handed-hitting outfielder showed his power potential with 19 homers and 47 total extra-base hits, but he hit just .217 with a .692 OPS and 30.4% strikeout rate across 125 games.

In 29 games with High-A Peoria in the Cardinals’ organization this season, Peete is still running a high strikeout rate (31.4%), but the rest of his numbers are greatly improved. He’s batting .272 with an .878 OPS, five homers and 19 total extra-base hits.

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