While Jean Segura began the year tearing up the American League, former Seattle Mariners shortstop Ketel Marte has been doing the same down in Triple-A. Now a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, the 23-year-old is doing all he can to return to the big leagues.
The Mariners traded Marte and pitcher Taijuan Walker to the Diamondbacks this offseason for Segura, Mitch Haniger, and Zac Curtis. Marte had previously been a big part of the Mariners’ future, but a poor 2016 campaign changed the team’s plans. The .259/.287/.323 slash line over 466 plate appearances Marte posted last year was weak enough for Seattle to move on. As well as Segura has played, Marte could eventually catch up based on how well he has hit in Triple-A.
Through his first 288 plate appearances with the Reno Aces, Marte is batting a robust .366/.410/.541. He already has five home runs this season. This total already matches his single-season high of five. It’s also two more than he has in 713 MLB plate appearances.
Marte is certainly not destined to become a power-hitter. However, his early 18 doubles and 7 triples suggest the ball is traveling a lot further than it has in the past. This might be partly a result of playing in the hitter-happy Pacific Coast League and facing minor league pitchers.
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This strong start for Marte has helped add him into the mix to possibly take over at shortstop full-time for the Diamondbacks. Currently, Nick Ahmed and Chris Owings are sharing the shortstop duties. Ahmed is not hitting well this season. Owings, meanwhile, has developed into more of a utility man capable of playing the outfield. Owings is far more important to the Diamondbacks in this role and should continue to play multiple positions. As such, this could mean a promotion for Marte should the Diamondbacks need any help on the infield.
Backup infielder Daniel Descalso is having a rough year and not offering very much to the Arizona offense other than some power. His continued struggles could eventually lead to a well-deserved promotion for Marte.
For as bad as last year was for Marte, it’s worth remembering how well he played in 2015. During the 57 game rookie campaign, Marte slashed .283/.351/.402. He has also been a plus defender in each of his two big league seasons which is surely a quality the Diamondbacks should consider when figuring out who will become their shortstop of the future.
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Marte’s .368 batting average and 98 hits currently lead all Pacific Coast League hitters. Thanks to all of the doubles and triples, he is within reach of leading the way in total bases. Only Houston Astros prospect (and recent call up) Derek Fisher has more. His promotion this week will allow Marte the opportunity to add one more boastful statistic worth bragging about.