It didn’t take long for Cole Young and Gabriel Gonzalez to make themselves at home in Everett.
The two Seattle Mariners top prospects, who are the newest members of the Everett AquaSox’s roster, both made immediate contributions with the bat after being promoted to Everett last week.
Young, a 19-year-old middle infielder who was Seattle’s first-round pick in the 2022 draft, and Gonzalez, a 19-year-old corner outfielder who was a big-money international signing in 2021, were promoted from Single-A Modesto to the High-A Sox on Friday following the four-day break for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
And both hit the ground running, as they put up big numbers during Everett’s three-game home series against the Hillsboro Hops over the weekend, helping the Sox take two of three.
“Not only are those two guys really good baseball players, they’re really good teammates and people,” Everett manager Ryan Scott said. “They’ve fit right in with this group. It’s already a pretty close-knit group, and all the guys know Cole and Gabi because they were with them at Modesto at the end of last season. They’re going to continue to boost us forward.”
Young, who’s rated by MLB.com as Seattle’s No. 2 prospect, was an unstoppable force in the series as he reached base in 11 of his 15 plate appearances while batting out of the Nos. 1 and 2 spots in the order. Meanwhile Gonzalez, who’s ranked No. 4 in the Mariners’ system by MLB.com, batted .385 and drove in six runs from the Nos. 2 and 4 holes, including hitting the walk-off RBI single in Sunday’s 5-4 victory. Both also blasted their first Northwest League homers.
“Cole is a guy who’s really going to dominate the zone, as well as anyone in the organization,” Scott said. “He takes walks and he doesn’t swing outside the zone much, so he’s going to get pitches over the plate and hit it on a line. He’ll pop some homers, but he’s more of guy who’s going to hit doubles, and he’s a really good middle infielder who will be switching between shortstop and second base.
“With Gabi, he’s really a premier bat to put at the top or in the middle of the lineup,” Scott continued. “He’ll swing at more pitches, he’ll chase outside the zone at times. But his bat-to-ball skills are kind of otherworldly for 19, and he’ll hit the ball hard even when the count isn’t in his favor. In the outfield he has a really good arm, and although he has a few things to refine he plays a good outfield.”
The series win improved Everett’s record to 10-8 (44-40 overall) in the Northwest League’s second-half standings. The Sox are in second place, three games behind league-leading Vancouver.
Players of the week
Hitter: Young. Not a bad debut series for the heralded infielder, as he went 7-for-11 with a triple and a homer, walked four times without striking out, and had the game-tying single in the bottom of the ninth of Sunday’s game. He finished the series with an obscene 1.824 OPS.
Pitcher: Jarod Bayless. The 26-year-old right-hander, who was selected by the Mariners in the 33rd round of the 2019 draft, was vital in Everett’s victory Sunday. He relieved with two outs in the top of the seventh, with Hillsboro leading 4-3 and having runners at second and third with a chance to break the game back open after the Sox clawed within one. Bayless induced an inning-ending groundout, then tossed a perfect eighth, helping set up Gonzalez’s walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth.
The week ahead
Everett is back at home again this week, with a six-game series against the Tri-City Dust Devils beginning Tuesday at Funko Field. Tri-City is 8-10 in the second half (42-42 overall) and in fourth place in the league standings, five games behind Vancouver. The Sox and Dust Devils are 6-6 against one another so far this season.
Tri-City, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, is coming off a 2-1 series victory at home against Spokane. The Dust Devils are the lowest-scoring team in the Northwest League at 4.32 runs per game and have a team OPS of just .658. Catcher Gustavo Campero (.327, eight homers, 30 RBI) has been by far Tri-City’s most effective bat, while outfielder Joe Stewart (.257) leads the league with 35 stolen bases in 37 attempts.
The Dust Devils have had better luck on the mound, leading the league with a 3.84 team ERA. In 19-year-old right-hander Caden Dana (2-4, 4.22 ERA, 24 walks and 71 strikeouts in 53.1 innings) Tri-City has a talented young pitcher who’s ranked by MLB.com as the Angels’ ninth-best prospect.
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