MLB: 5 American League West prospects to watch in 2020
By Nick Stevens
Kyle Lewis has made an immediate impact at the MLB level with the Seattle Mariners.
Have yourself a 2020, Kyle Lewis. A first-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners back in 2016, Lewis flashed what makes him a special player in his MLB debut last season. In 18 games, Lewis recorded 19 hits, 11 of them went for extra-bases (six home runs). He’s now off to a scorching hot start in 2020 after a successful opening weekend series against the Houston Astros.
Lewis is hitting .400 with two home runs through Seattle’s first four games, joining fellow top prospect Evan White to form a fun duo for Mariners fans to enjoy in this shortened season. His first home run of the season, a moonshot against Astros ace Justin Verlander, left the ballpark at 111 mph, which would have ranked as one of the hardest hit baseballs in 2019 for a Mariners hitter.
Lewis is the 10th-ranked prospect in the Mariners system and appears set to become a regular force in Seattle’s lineup. Now fully recovered from a gruesome injury earlier in his career, Lewis is showcasing his big power and impressive overall game.
Seattle has two more impressive prospects in their system in outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez, both of whom sit at the top of the Mariners Top 30 prospects list. Once this duo reaches the major leagues, the Mariners just might have one of the more dominant outfields in the American League.
As for the 2020 season, Seattle may not finish with very many wins, but they will have two rookies in serious contention for AL Rookie of the Year honors in Lewis and White.