Touted Mariners prospect sidelined with another injury

Just a few weeks after returning from a torn ACL, touted Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Jonny Farmelo was dealt another injury setback.

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Farmelo suffered a stress reaction in his rib from swinging the bat and will be out four to six weeks, Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said on Friday. The 20-year-old center fielder last appeared in a game on May 23.

Farmelo, a 2023 first-round draft pick by Seattle, missed nearly 11 months after tearing his ACL in a non-contact situation while making a catch in center field last June with Low-A Modesto.

Farmelo returned from the ACL injury on April 29 and immediately went on a tear at High-A Everett, batting .288 with five home runs, one triple, two doubles and a .959 OPS in 15 games with the AquaSox.

But then came the stress fracture, which has kept Farmelo sidelined since May 23.

“It’s unfortunate, obviously, to lose parts of another season,” Hollander said. “But nothing long-term, nothing serious in terms of impacting the future of Jonny Farmelo.”

Hollander also said that Farmelo’s knee is “doing great.”

Farmelo is ranked by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in the Mariners’ farm system and the No. 54 overall prospect in the game. He’s ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 6 prospect in Seattle’s system and the No. 78 overall prospect in baseball.

Here are a few other minor league injury updates from Hollander on Mariners prospects:

• Switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, the Mariners’ 2024 first-round pick, exited after two innings in his May 31 start at High-A Everett due to a “vibrating sensation” in his right tricep.

“He said he had it a couple times in college (and) it was never a big deal,” Hollander said. “We obviously skipped a start, had him throw a bullpen and then throw an aggressive live (bullpen) to make sure that the symptoms weren’t reproducible. He felt good.”

Cijntje returned to the mound for Everett this past Wednesday, but his outing was cut short after he rolled his ankle covering first base on the final out of the third inning.

“He’s a little sore,” Hollander said. “Not sure about the exact day of his next start. Don’t anticipate any kind of lengthy absence whatsoever.”

Cijntje is a top-100 prospect according to both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline.

• Right-hander Teddy McGraw, a 2023 third-round pick, was promoted to High-A Everett on Saturday after making five appearances in the Arizona Complex League.

McGraw has been working his way back from an elbow flexor injury that he suffered last August at Low-A Modesto. That injury came just four starts after he returned from Tommy John surgery.

“He will go three innings at a time once a week right now while we build up volume,” Hollander said. “So we’ll see how that goes with Teddy. Obviously fingers crossed. Looked great in Arizona. Stuff has been really, really good, so excited for Teddy.”

• Right-hander Cole Phillips, a second-round draft pick by the Atlanta Braves who the Mariners acquired as part of the Jarred Kelenic trade in December 2023, has resumed throwing as he works his way back from a second Tommy John surgery.

Hollander said Phillips is doing “really well” and that the Mariners hope he can return to games in August.

More on the Seattle Mariners

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• Mariners Injury Updates: The latest on Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller
• Mariners Injury Updates: When Luke Raley, others could return
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