Top prospects among Mariners’ minor league standouts in August

Two of the Seattle Mariners’ newest prospects had scorching months of August, resulting to co-hitter of the month honors from the organization.

Lazaro Montes exits game after collision with wall

Double-A catcher Boston Smith and Single-A third baseman Ace Reese were named the organization’s top batters for the season’s penultimate month on Friday, as announced by Mariners player development.

In addition to the recognition for Smith and Reese, Double-A starting pitcher Ryan Sloan was named pitcher of the month, Single-A reliever Scott Rouse was chosen as reliever of the month, Triple-A catcher Nick Raposo earned defensive player of the month and Single-A shortstop Nick Becker was named baserunner of the month.

Below is a look at how each player performed in August. All prospect rankings are according to MLB Pipeline.

• Boston Smith

Smith, who was acquired in the Aug. 2 trade that sent Luis Castillo to the Chicago White Sox, slashed .275/.414/.675 with 13 extra-base hits, 22 RBIs, 18 walks and 30 strikeouts in 23 games during his first month with the Arkansas Travelers. His nine home runs in August were tied for second in the Texas League. He was also tied for fifth in RBIs.

The 23 year old is the Mariners’ 13th-ranked prospect.

• Ace Reese

Reese, the Mariners’ first-round pick in the 2026 draft, tore up the California League during his first month of pro baseball with the Inland Empire 66ers. The Mississippi State product produced a .421/.544/.632 slash line with two homers, six doubles, 13 RBIs, 18 walks and 11 strikeouts over 17 games. He had hits in 13 games and reached base in all but one. He was tied for fifth in the California League in walks and tied for eighth in hits (24).

The 21 year old is the Mariners’ eighth-ranked prospect.

• Ryan Sloan

Sloan posted a 2.84 ERA and 0.91 WHIP while striking out 34 batters and allowing only two walks over 25 1/3 innings in five starts with the Travelers. His month included tying a career high with 11 strikeouts over five innings of one-run ball on Aug. 22. He also held opponents to one run or fewer in four of his five outings. The 20-year-old Sloan led the Texas League in strikeout-to-walk ratio (17 to 1) and was third in strikeouts.

Sloan is the No. 8 prospect in baseball and No. 2 in the Mariners’ farm system.

• Scott Rouse

Rouse, who went undrafted out of Kentucky in 2025, had a 0.48 ERA with 17 strikeouts and three walks allowed over 18 2/3 innings in four relief appearances for Inland Empire. The 24 year old pitched at least three innings in each outing and had a four-inning save.

• Nick Raposo

In addition to earning the defensive honors from the organization, the 28-year-old Raposo slashed .300/.400/.560 with three homers, 15 RBIs, nine walks and 14 strikeouts over 15 games in his first full month with Tacoma. He was promoted from Double-A on July 21.

• Nick Becker

Becker, a second-round pick in the 2025 draft, went 12 for 12 on steal attempts in August, bringing his season total across all levels of the minors to 46 on 49 attempts. After receiving a promotion to Inland Empire on July 27, the 19 year old slashed .200/.379/.262 with four doubles, 10 RBIs, 17 walks and 27 strikeouts over 21 games in August.

Becker is the Mariners’ 10th-ranked prospect.

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