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Seattle Mariners Top 10 Prospects For 2017

By Benjamin Chase

Aug 18, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of a Seattle Mariners ball cap and glove during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Mariners defeat the Rangers 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 18, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of a Seattle Mariners ball cap and glove during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Mariners defeat the Rangers 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 13, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Rob Whallen (63) pitches during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 13, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Rob Whallen (63) pitches during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Robert Whalen, RHP

Birthdate: 1/31/94 (22 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: AA, AAA, MLB
Stats in 2016: 120 IP, 2.40 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.87 BB%, 22.58 K%

Outside of Rob’s own mother, I may be his biggest fan on the planet, and as a guy who has followed the Braves since the Dale Murphy years, it hurt to see him get traded away in the Alex Jackson deal.

Whalen had never really been healthy as a professional before 2016. He made only three starts at high-A for the Braves’ affiliate in 2015 before he had knee surgery to correct issues that had been nagging him for some time.

He worked hard all offseason, and he came back with not just his physical body sharp, but also his mental fortitude on the mound. Whalen’s ability to work over hitters within an at bat is a rarity in minor league baseball. He has the ability to make adjustments within an at bat and change a grip by just enough to give a new wrinkle a hitter has never seen in any video.

Whalen doesn’t possess a blazing fastball or plus offspeed stuff, but he does have a five-pitch mix that really can play to much more.

Whalen doesn’t possess a blazing fastball or plus offspeed stuff, but he does have a five-pitch mix that really can play to much more. He has worked hard to understand how to utilize various grips on his pitches to give him a different break, allowing him to throw multiple variations on certain pitches.

While that sounds like a prototypical junkballer, Whalen did have some stats to back up his performance, with one of the highest swinging strike rates on two-seam fastballs among major leaguers in his MLB debut.

Whalen could end up a guy who is a mid-rotation guy, but I think he compares very favorably to what we saw with how sequencing and varying pitch locations and wrinkles in the movement can help a pitcher in Kyle Hendricks this season with the Cubs.

Whalen should be given every opportunity to break camp in the Mariners rotation this year.

Next: #4

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