By Matt Eddy
December 5, 2008

Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2009.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Greg Halman, of 2. Michael Saunders, of 3. Phillipe Aumont, rhp 4. Carlos Triunfel, ss/2b 5. Juan Ramirez, rhp 6. Adam Moore, c 7. Mario Martinez, 3b 8. Jharmidy DeJesus, 3b 9. Dennis Raben, of 10. Michael Pineda, rhp

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Carlos Triunfel Best Power Hitter Dennis Raben Best Strike-Zone Discipline Luis Valbuena Fastest Baserunner Tyson Gillies Best Athlete Greg Halman Best Fastball Phillippe Aumont Best Curveball Nathan Adcock Best Slider Shawn Kelley Best Changeup Cesar Jimenez Best Control Michael Pineda Best Defensive Catcher Rob Johnson Best Defensive Infielder Gabriel Noriega Best Infield Arm Carlos Triunfel Best Defensive Outfielder Danny Carroll Best Outfield Arm Tyson Gilles

PROJECTED 2012 LINEUP

Catcher Adam Moore First Base Dennis Raben Second Base Carlos Triunfel Third Base Adrian Beltre Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt Left Field Michael Saunders Center Field Greg Halman Right Field Ichiro Suzuki Designated Hitter Jeff Clement No. 1 Starter Felix Hernandez No. 2 Starter Erik Bedard No. 3 Starter Brandon Morrow No. 4 Starter Philippe Aumont No. 5 Starter Juan Ramirez Closer J.J. Putz

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2008 1999 Ryan Anderson, lhp Out of baseball 2000 Ryan Anderson, lhp Out of baseball 2001 Ryan Anderson, lhp Out of baseball 2002 Ryan Anderson, lhp Out of baseball 2003 Rafael Soriano, rhp Braves 2004 Felix Hernandez, rhp Mariners 2005 Felix Hernandez, rhp Mariners 2006 Jeff Clement, c Mariners 2007 Adam Jones, ss Orioles 2008 Jeff Clement, c Mariners

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2008 1999 Ryan Christianson, c Out of baseball 2000 Sam Hayes, lhp (4th round) Out of baseball 2001 Michael Garciaparra, ss (1st supp.) Brewers 2002 *John Mayberry, of Rangers 2003 Adam Jones, ss/rhp (1st supp.) Orioles 2004 Matt Tuiasosopo, ss (3rd round) Mariners 2005 Jeff Clement, c Mariners 2006 Brandon Morrow, rhp Mariners 2007 Phillipe Aumont, rhp Mariners 2008 ^Joshua Fields, rhp None ^Has not signed; eligible to sign until June 2, 2009 *Did not sign

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Ichiro Suzuki, 2000 $5,000,000 Jeff Clement, 2005 $3,400,000 Brandon Morrow, 2006 $2,450,000 Matt Tuiasosopo, 2004 $2,290,000 Ryan Anderson, 1997 $2,175,000

MARINERS LINKS

Mariners' Team Page Mariners Top 10 Scouting Reports  Last Year's Mariners Top 10 Prospects 2008 Draft: Mariners (Basic Database) 2008 Draft: Mariners  (Advanced Database) 2008 Draft Report Cards: Seattle Mariners  Complete Index of Top 10 Prospects Pre-Order the 2009 Prospect Handbook

The 2008 Mariners were a study in dysfunction. They didn't hit, they didn't pitch and they didn't catch the ball, a formula that produced the worst run differential in the American League. In fact, Seattle became the first team to lose 100 games with a $100 million payroll, or $118 million on Opening Day, to be exact.

After the smoke cleared on Seattle's 101-loss disaster—a slip of 27 games from 2007 and the franchise's worst season in 25 years—the road had been paved for a much-needed change in direction.

General manager Bill Bavasi got the ax on June 16, when the Mariners' record stood at 24-45, and manager John McLaren followed him out the door three days later. Associate GM Lee Pelekoudas and bench coach Jim Riggleman stepped in on an interim basis.

After replacing Pat Gillick as GM in November 2003, Bavasi presided over a series of transactions that proved to be devastating to the organization. He traded young players such as Asdrubal Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Guillen, Rafael Soriano and Matt Thornton for little return. Bavasi also signed mediocre free agents such as Miguel Batista, Richie Sexson, Carlos Silva, Scott Spiezio and Jarrod Washburn to lengthy, expensive contracts. That group cost Seattle $169 million.

Yet his worst move may have been trading five players for Erik Bedard last offseason, as Adam Jones and Chris Tillman now look like future stars for the Orioles and Bedard made just 15 starts before succumbing to shoulder surgery.

In late October, the Mariners settled on former Brewers scouting director Jack Zduriencik as the club's new general manager. Zdurienick, Baseball America's 2007 Executive of the Year, was the catalyst in transforming Milwaukee from a laughingstock into a playoff team almost solely through the draft. Now he'll be asked to do the same in Seattle, where he hired former Athletics bench coach Don Wakamatsu as his manager, named former Brewers crosschecker Tom McNamara his scouting director and promoted Mariners coordinator of instruction Pedro Grifol to farm director.

Despite furnishing the Mariners with big leaguers Jeff Clement, Mark Lowe and Brandon Morrow—not to mention Tillman and other prospects such as outfielder Michael Saunders, righty Phillippe Aumont and catcher Adam Moore—scouting director Bob Fontaine was the first member of the old regime dismissed by Zduriencik. Fontaine's last draft was marred by Seattle's inability to sign its first-round pick, Georgia closer Joshua Fields. As a result, the Mariners have spent less on the 2008 draft ($2.5 million) than any other club. A college senior represented by Scott Boras, Fields can continue to negotiate until a week before the 2009 draft. If he doesn't sign, the Mariners would collect the 22nd pick in 2009 as compensation.

Led by international scouting director Bob Engle—whom Zduriencik retained after Engle was interviewed for the GM job—the Mariners continued to invest heavily in Latin America. They signed four players to six-figure bonuses in 2008, headlined by Dominican outfielder Julio Morban ($1.1 million) and Nicaraguan righthander Francisco Valdivia ($726,000). Seattle paid out $2.6 million in international six-figure bonuses, ranking seventh among all clubs.

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