Zach DeLoach Finds A Way To Get On Base

Outfielder Zach DeLoach has built a reputation for being able to do a bit of everything really well—even if nothing has yet stood out as exceptional.

The Mariners drafted DeLoach in the second round in 2020 out of Texas A&M, and his pro experience in his draft year amounted to work at the alternate training site and instructional league. On top of that, his junior season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

To top that off, Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto and manager Scott Servais keep accidentally calling him Tyler DeLoach instead of Zach. They had previously drafted a Tyler DeLoach when they were working in the Angels organization.

But when given the chance, all Zach DeLoach has done is get on base. A lot.

If you’re looking for an exceptional stat, it’s that. Dipoto said DeLoach had somewhere around a .550 on-base percentage throughout the fall, with multiple walks for every strikeout.

“He’s a guy I think is going to pop on some radars,” Dipoto said. “He’s really polished, multi-skilled, does everything well. There’s no one gaudy skill other than the fact that he gets on base all the time. He had a wonderful instructional league after taking part in the alt site camp.

“Every day it was a mature, positive at-bat. I wish we could have had more time.”

That’s what evaluators are wishing, too, especially since the 6-foot-1, 205-pound DeLoach went from hitting .264 as a freshman to .200 as a sophomore to tearing down his swing, overhauling it and then mashing in the 2019 Cape Cod League to the tune of .353/.428/.541.

The 22-year-old was hitting .421/.547/.789 with the Aggies before the shutdown.

“He really was the guy who came right out of the draft and fit right in to summer camp, as he did in Tacoma (at the alt site),” Mariners farm director Andy McKay said. “To see him continue to put together really consistent at-bats was great.”

 

MARINADE

— Kristopher Negron was recently promoted by the Mariners to manage at Triple-A Tacoma. He spent last season as an assistant to McKay, the organization’s farm director. He takes over for longtime Rainiers manager Daren Brown.

— Another new hire, Collin Cowgill, will manage at Double-A Arkansas. Cowgill was in spring training with the Mariners as a player in 2020 on a minor league contract.

— Catcher Cal Raleigh, who is part of the Mariners’ big league spring training for the second consecutive season, graduated from Florida State recently with a degree in business entrepreneurship.