When it comes to the future, M's go global

The Mariners are well-respected throughout baseball for having been one of the teams on the cutting edge of international scouting, and with good reason. They've been at the forefront of Latin American and Pacific Rim scouting for years and this list of prospects is dotted liberally with players from all over the world, including some surprising locales.

"It's a change, a different culture, a different lifestyle for these players," explained Frank Mattox, the Mariners' director of player development, "so we try to bring interpreters or people who have had experience with those cultures to help them along so they can feel comfortable and perform well on the field."

While the results of the recent domestic drafts have not been as fruitful, with only a handful of Major Leaguers dating back to 2000, they seem to be aiming to restock the pitching coffers in a big way.

The 2006 draft featured some top up-and-coming arms taken in the first few rounds -- prospects who could be in the Seattle rotation within the next few years -- but the rest of the pick of the litter is clustered at Triple-A Tacoma to start the year.

Climbing the Ladder

Triple-A Tacoma

Adam Jones, OF
Jones is arguably the top draft pick this decade to make it to the big leagues, having been called up to Seattle at the All-Star break last year. However, he may need a little more seasoning in Tacoma before returning to the Major League outfield on a full-time basis. Drafted in the first round of the 2003 draft as a shortstop, he shifted to center field at the end of 2005 and made huge strides there defensively.

An outstanding athlete with a strong arm, he hit .287 with 16 homers, 62 RBIs and 13 steals in 96 games at Tacoma last year.

"Moving from shortstop to the outfield was an adjustment he made quite easily, which is what happens when you're a gifted athlete like he is," Mattox said. "In terms of expectations for him, if he's in the Minors with us, the goal is just to get him Major League ready. He's mature for his age and the best is still to come."
Video: Jones weighs in at the RCDP
Video: Jones triples for Tacoma

Ryan Feierabend, RHP
The third-rounder from 2003 was one of the youngest starting pitcher in the Majors when he made his big-league debut in September and his circle change is the best changeup in the system. Feierabend (pronounced FEER-a-bend), who will be 21 during the 2007 season, also throws a fastball around 90 and does all the little things well. He begins the season back in the Tacoma rotation but could be in Seattle again soon.

"He's been consistently durable and goes with his pitching plan," said Mattox. "He also has an outstanding pickoff move and is a class individual."

2006 Organizational Record
LEVEL AAA AA A (Adv) A SS R	LEAGUE PCL TL CAL MWL NWL AZL	TEAM Tacoma San Antonio Inland Empire* Wisconsin Everett Mariners TOTAL:	W 74 60 72 54 31 25 316	L 70 78 68 86 45 30 377	PCT .514 .435 .514 .386 .408 .455 .456
* Won League Championship

Others to watch at Tacoma: C Jeff Clement, the club's top pick in 2005 out of USC, has been slowed by a series of injuries that included elbow and knee trouble in 2006. Those woes limited him to 82 games, as he hit .263 with six homers and 42 RBIs between Double-A San Antonio and Tacoma. He played Winter Ball in Hawaii to make up for lost time, but as one of four catchers on his squad, didn't get as many at-bats as the Mariners would have liked and had a hard time getting into the groove. Defensively, though, he's improved tremendously in terms of footwork and calling a game. His plus power should translate into more homers in a healthy 2007. ... 1B Bryan LaHair was not even on the radar two years ago, but the 39th-round draft-and-follow pick from 2002 has been perhaps the top offensive producer since then. He hit .310 with 22 homers and 113 RBI in 2005 at Class A Advanced Inland Empire and combined to bat .309 with 16 home runs and 74 RBIs with San Antonio and Tacoma last summer. His 145 hits led the system and he was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year. ... OF Wladimir Balentien, a native of Curacao, was San Antonio's MVP in 2006 despite hitting just .230, because he still managed to hit 22 home runs and drive in 82 runs. In past years his average had been significantly higher and he has good tools across the board, notably plus power and a strong arm. ... LHP Travis Blackley was once one of the top prospects in the system, but a torn labrum cost him all of 2005 and turned 2006 into a rehab season. The Aussie southpaw is back healthy and could factor into the Major League rotation sooner rather than later.
Video: Clements ropes a double for the Rainiers
Video: LaHair puts Tacoma on top

2006 Organizational Leaders
Average Home Runs RBIs Stolen Bases ERA Wins Strikeouts Saves		.324 22 82 27 2.87 14 185 23	Yung Chi Chen Wladimir Balentien Wladimir Balentien Bryan Sabatella Robert Rohrbaugh Justin Thomas Francisco Cruceta Jon Huber
Complete MiLB statistics

Double-A West Tenn

Yung Chi Chen, 2B
The organization's batting leader in 2006, Chen hit a combined .324 between Inland Empire and San Antonio and should return to Double-A at least to start 2007. But don't expect him to remain there for too long. A staple of the Taiwanese National Team, he's still just 23 years old. He has good pop for his position, combining for eight homers and 70 RBIs in '06, and his 26 steals was just one shy of the system lead. If not a Gold Glove candidate, he is certainly not a liability up the middle either.

Justin Thomas, LHP
Thomas, aka "JT," was a fourth-round pick in 2005 out of Youngstown State. He enjoyed a real breakthrough season in his first full campaign, combining to lead the organization in wins between Wisconsin and Inland Empire. He went 14-9 with a 3.73 ERA, striking out 162 in 166 innings with a lively fastball, slider and changeup. Thomas, who Mattox calls "a winner," saved his best for last as he led Inland Empire to the California League championship with 13 shutout innings in the postseason, striking out 17 over his two starts.

Others to watch: RHP Jose De La Cruz is an up-and-coming closer, acquired from Tampa Bay in an under-the-radar deal for pitcher Marcos Carvajal. He's moved up slowly but steadily, a level at a time, but was named Inland Empire's Pitcher of the Year last year as he notched 21 saves and posted a 2.97 ERA. The 6-foot-7 Dominican prospect throws a hard, sinking fastball and slider. ... OF Sebastien Boucher, who hails from Canada, hit .248 at San Antonio in 2006 but led the organization in steals (27) and walks. He is expected to return to Double-A to work on raising his average. He is regarded as the fastest player in the system and, though raw and lacking a lot of baseball experience, he has some real tools. ... 3B Matt Tuiasosopo has great athletic bloodlines though they are primarily in football, where his dad and brother played in the NFL. Drafted as a shortstop, he just moved to third this past summer around the same time he was promoted from Inland Empire, where he batted .306, to San Antonio where that number dipped to .185. Still young, the Mariners think much of his struggle was dealing with two transitions at once and their hopes are still high for him.

Class A Advanced High Desert

Luis Valbuena, 2B
The Venezuela-born Valbuena batted .275 in 2006 between Wisconsin and Inland Empire, where he finished up, combining for five homers, 48 RBIs and 22 steals. He is a solid defender with excellent plate discipline, and has walked 137 times while striking out just 149 times over his career.

Brandon Morrow, RHP
The Mariners' top pick in 2006 out of Cal could begin the year in the Wisconsin rotation, but the Mariners may be willing to challenge him with a Class A Advanced spot, even though High Desert is a nightmare park for pitchers. The No. 5 overall pick, Morrow pitched a lot of innings as a junior at Cal and so the Mariners used him sparingly as a result. Rested and ready, he has a fastball that has touched 99 to go with a fine slider as well. The conditions at High Desert would probably not faze Morrow, who is used to adversity as he's grown up dealing with diabetes.

"He has a very gifted arm but wasn't used to throwing in as much of a regimen when we got him last summer," explained Mattox. "He spent the whole offseason in Peoria to get himself geared up for this spring. Once he gets to the hill and you hear that glove pop, you'll know why he was taken where he was taken."

Others to watch: RHP Nick Allen was Wisconsin's Pitcher of the Year last year as he went 7-4 with a 3.86 ERA for the Timber Rattlers, splitting his time between the bullpen and rotation over 100 innings. ... IF Ron Garth was Wisconsin's MVP as he batted .275 with 10 homers, 48 RBIs and 11 steals. ... Look for RHP Austin Biben-Dirkx to land in the High Desert bullpen after making a big impression as a 2006 late-round pick (16). He finished the season at Wisconsin with 32 1/3 innings, collecting seven saves and posting a 1.95 ERA. He may start at Wisconsin but he could land with the Mavericks.

Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Carlos Triunfel, SS
The 17-year-old Dominican bonus baby will be making his pro debut with the Timber Rattlers. He boasts a remarkable arm and the Mariners think he has five-tool potential. They are very excited about his presence on a team that will be ripe with prospects.

Tony Butler, LHP
The third-rounder from 2006 is perhaps the most promising southpaw starter in an organization that has more than a few impressive ones and he'll anchor a strong rotation in Wisconsin. The lanky lefty, who stands at 6-foot-7 and 205 pounds, was taken out of high school in Wisconsin. Between the Arizona and Northwest Leagues, he combined for a 2.72 ERA and scattered 28 hits over 56 1/3 innings for a .150 batting average against, striking out 77. His curveball is the best in the system already.

"He's a long, lanky, projectable pitcher with four quality pitches, but we'll take him down to three so he can master them and work on his command," said Mattox. "He has a low 90s fastball, a nice sharp breaking ball with good tilt and a very good changeup. He has a high upside based on his body type and his nice presence on the mound. He goes about his business the way we like to see."

Others to watch: RHP Chris Tillman, selected between Morrow and Butler, joins the lefty in this impressive rotation. Throwing a fastball in the 90s and a slider, he had been pegged as a first-rounder, but the Mariners were happy to see him slip to them in the second. "He has a lot of upside with a plus fastball and curveball," Mattox said. ... OF Carlos Peguero is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound raw talent who is just 20 years old. He hit .313 in the Arizona League and .204 at Everett, combining on nine homers and 39 RBIs in 59 games, though he did strike out 83 times. ... OF Greg Halman is another international sign from Holland. Just 19 years old, he hit .259 with five home runs and 10 steals.

Under the Radar

Alex Liddi, 3B
Signed out of Italy in 2005, the Mariners inked him out of MLB's European Baseball Academy and he finished fifth in the Arizona League batting race this year, hitting .313 with three homers, 25 RBIs and nine steals. He'll be just 18 this summer and will likely be at Wisconsin.

"Alex Liddi is very intriguing, with a nice stroke and some power," Mattox said. "I'm not sure if it's all going to come this year but he's a nice prospect."

Michael Saunders, OF
Signed out of junior college in 2004, the Canadian-born Saunders could not get a work visa until 2005 when he made his pro debut. A multi-talented athlete who also played hockey, lacrosse and soccer, the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder hit .240 with four homers, 39 RBIs and 22 steals at Wisconsin in '06. He has great power potential and is still just 20 years old. He should be at Wisconsin again.

Michael Wilson, OF
Look for Wilson to really emerge as a power to be reckoned with this year at West Tenn, especially if he can cut down on the strikeouts. A top power prospect who needs to work on his plate discipline, he struck out 156 times last year between Inland Empire and San Antonio, but he also led the organization in homers (23) and RBIs (95). He made quite an impression during the Arizona Fall League and continued to impress this spring. A second-round pick in 2001, he turned down a scholarship to play football at Oklahoma.

Anthony Varvaro, RHP
The 12th-round pick out of 2005 from St. John's averaged 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings as a junior, but suffered an elbow injury that spring which shut down his 2005 season before the draft even rolled around, hurting his draft status. He inked with Seattle and rehabbed with that club, seeing some time this past summer as he struck out 15 in 11 innings in the Arizona League. Varvaro had great stuff before his injury and it showed signs of returning. Once things warm up a little he should be in the rotation in Wisconsin looking to get things done.

2006 Draft Recap

RHP Brandon Morrow (1), RHP Chris Tillman (2) and LHP Tony Butler (3) could prove to be a true trifecta of starting pitching talent in the big leagues before long. Morrow has the best fastball in the system, Tillman a great breaking pitch and the 6-foot-7 Butler the best curve. ... The Mariners continued stockpiling the pitching with their next two picks, taking RHP Ricky Orta (4) out of Miami and RHP Nathan Adcock (5) from high school in Kentucky. ... SS Chris Minaker (10), a Stanford senior sign, hit .315 in his pro debut at Wisconsin. The "senior sign" designation is a bit misleading since not only did he complete his sociology degree in that period but also his Masters. ... RHP Austin Dirkx (16), whose name probably gets misspelled a lot, struck out 49 batters in 38 innings at a few levels in his impressive debut, combining for a 1.64 ERA. His out pitches have a lot of life. ... RHP Kam Mickolio (18) is 6-foot-9 and throws serious heat.

Predictions

Organizational Player of the Year: OF Wladimir Balentien

Look for him to retain his power numbers in his move up to Triple-A Tacoma, but he'll also regain the stroke that saw his average hover close to .300, making up for his precipitous drop to .230 last year at Double-A San Antonio. He can do it all and this should be the year he proves it.

Organizational Pitcher of the Year: RHP Brandon Morrow

Morrow was selected before some other pretty impressive possibilities, but when he takes the mound he shows you why. Look for the Mariners to challenge him and look for him to respond in a big way.

Quotable

"You could say that age matters least of all as long as the maturity of that player is beyond his years. With Ryan, Adam and Felix, all have dealt with adversity at some point in their careers and handled it well. And makeup does come into play, not everyone goes up and does well, so they may have to come back down. That's part of the game as well. Making the adjustment after that is really the key to their staying in the big leagues," Mattox on the fact that pitchers Felix Hernandez and Ryan Feierabend and outfielder Adam Jones, in September, were three of the four youngest players in the Majors.