The Next Wave: Farmelo's Power Surge at Double-A, Labrada's September Surge in Tacoma
By Taylor Anderson ·
The Next Wave covers the last 7 days of action for the Mariners farm system.
Farmelo Puts on a Show at Double-A Arkansas
Jonny Farmelo (AA, OF, Rank: 4) went 4-for-22 with two home runs and eight RBI across 22 plate appearances at Arkansas this week, capping a stretch that included a three-run shot on September 12 and another homer on September 9. The raw power showed up in full. His contact rate of 70.8 percent and a 25.8 percent strikeout rate on the season make the swing-and-miss a known quantity, and the nine strikeouts in 22 plate appearances this week are consistent with that profile. What matters is that when Farmelo connects, the damage is real, and eight RBI in a single week at Double-A is a reminder of how much impact he can generate without needing a high hit rate to do it.
The 55-grade power and 60-grade speed combination is the engine here, and a 15.8 percent walk rate on the season demonstrates he is not simply hacking. He has drawn 97 walks across 613 combined plate appearances between High-A and Double-A this year, which is not the profile of a free swinger. The hit tool, graded at 50, remains the central developmental question: his contact rate has been steady rather than improving, and a 28.0 percent strikeout rate at Double-A underscores the margin for error. Still, the age-22 outfielder with a power-speed combination, a genuine walk rate, and plus athleticism in center field has multiple paths to an everyday role. A finish to the season that includes more weeks like this one does his case no harm at all.
Labrada's September in Tacoma Is Worth Watching
Victor Labrada (AAA, CF, Rank: 32) went 5-for-16 with a home run and two RBI across 16 plate appearances at Tacoma this week, adding a walk and no strikeouts to a clean performance. That zero-strikeout week fits the broader pattern of his last 30 days: over 78 plate appearances at Triple-A, he is slashing .313/.436/.484 with three home runs, a 14.1 percent walk rate, and a matching 14.1 percent strikeout rate. Both rates moving toward equilibrium at this level is meaningful for a player whose profile depends on getting on base and causing problems on the bases.
The scouting grades tell an honest story: a 30-grade power projection, a 45 hit tool, and a 60-grade speed that makes him genuinely dangerous once he reaches base. His 20 stolen bases on the season continue a career-long pattern of plus baserunning value. For a 26-year-old projected as a fourth or fifth outfielder, the conversation has always been whether the offensive consistency holds at Triple-A over a large enough sample to make the case for a roster spot. Through 489 plate appearances this year in Tacoma, a .271 average with 52 walks and the September surge all point in the right direction. He is not a ceiling prospect, but a player who knows his role and is executing it about as well as he can right now.
Quick Hits
- Robinson Ortiz (AAA, LHP, Rank: 23) · threw 2.2 innings against Triple-A hitters this week, allowing four hits and no earned runs while striking out seven batters on 34 strikes in 54 pitches. He also generated 11 whiffs on the outing. The strikeout rate of 27.5 percent on the season has been a consistent asset, and his last-30-day stretch shows a 33.3 percent strikeout rate across nine appearances. The ERA at 5.66 on the year reflects his ongoing command issues, with a 14.2 percent walk rate against batters that creates too much traffic. The fastball-slider combination gives him something real to work with as a left-handed reliever, and this week's scoreless outing was a step toward demonstrating what the profile can look like when he throws strikes. The path to a big-league role runs through tightening that walk rate, which sat at 9.5 percent over the last 30 days, an improvement worth monitoring.
- Ryan Sloan (AA, RHP, Rank: 2) · had a rough week by his own elevated standards, going four innings against Double-A hitters and allowing six hits and two earned runs while walking two and striking out four on 40 strikes in 78 pitches. He did generate 13 whiffs on the outing, which softens the picture some. Over his last 30 days, Sloan has a 3.60 ERA across 20 innings with 28 strikeouts and just two walks, a 2.6 percent walk rate and a 35.9 percent strikeout rate. The season line reads a 3.73 ERA through 101.1 innings with 128 strikeouts and 16 walks. A 60-grade fastball sitting 96-99, a plus slider, and a changeup that grades as one of the more advanced offerings in the system for a 20-year-old still point toward a mid-rotation projection. This week was a stumble in an otherwise strong September, not a reason to reconsider what he is.