Adam Jones Outfielder
The 22-year-old outfielder, often compared to Mike Cameron, was a first-round selection in the 2003 draft and was Seattle's Minor League Player of the Year in 2005. Jones made his major league debut the next year, appearing in 32 games and hitting .216 with one homer and eight RBIs. He came up as a shortstop but was moved to the outfield, where he can play all three positions, but he projects as a center fielder with the Orioles -- if another trade isn't consummated -- because of his speed and athleticism. The multitalented outfielder, who would have started in right field for the Mariners this year, hit .246 with two homers and four RBIs in 41 games in 2007. Jones earned the promotion last year after hitting .314 with 25 homers, 84 RBIs and eight steals in 101 games for Triple-A Tacoma. He has hit 67 homers and driven in 296 runs in parts of five minor league seasons. Baseball America rated Jones as Seattle's top prospect last year.
Quotable
"He's a tremendously gifted athlete," a baseball executive said. "He's a good kid with good instincts."
Jim Callis of Baseball America said if Jones were rookie-eligible, "he'd rank among the top 10-15 prospects in the game. He's a tremendous athlete who has advanced quickly."
Majors
Team Year Avg. G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
Seattle 2006 .216 32 74 6 16 4 0 1 8 2 22
Seattle 2007 .246 41 65 16 16 2 1 2 4 4 21
Totals .230 73 139 22 32 6 1 3 12 6 43
Minors
Team Year Avg. G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
Wisconsin (A) 2004 .267 130 510 76 136 23 7 11 72 33 124
Inland Empire (A) 2005 .295 68 271 43 80 20 5 8 46 29 64
San Antonio (AA) 2005 .298 63 228 33 68 10 3 7 20 22 48
Tacoma (AAA) 2006 .287 96 380 69 109 19 4 16 62 28 78
Tacoma (AAA) 2007 .314 101 420 75 132 27 6 25 84 36 106
Totals .290 458 1809 296 525 99 25 67 284 148 420
George Sherrill Pitcher
Sherrill is a 30-year-old power left-hander, exactly what manager Dave Trembley wanted as he discussed the team's needs late last season. Sherrill has spent parts of the past four seasons with the Mariners after being plucked from the independent Northern League. He also pitched in the Frontier League after going undrafted once he graduated from Austin Peay State. His best season came last year, when he was 2-0 with a 2.36 ERA in 73 appearances as the primary bridge to closer J.J. Putz. The only health issue for Sherrill came late in the 2006 season, when he pitched with a sprained elbow. It obviously had no impact on him last year. Sherrill has four career saves, but he could be given first crack at the closer's job in spring training. Or he could develop into a situational reliever and a nice complement to the other late-inning left-hander, Jamie Walker.
Quotable
"He's a great makeup guy," a baseball executive said. "There's not a lot of fear in this guy."
Callis: "He's more than just your basic left-handed reliever, as he can get strikeouts and he can get righties out. He has a deceptive delivery and good stuff."
Majors
Team Year W L ERA G GS IP H ER HR BB SO
Seattle 2004 2 1 3.80 21 0 23 2/3 24 10 3 9 16
Seattle 2005 4 3 5.21 29 0 19 13 11 3 7 24
Seattle 2006 2 4 4.28 72 0 40 30 19 0 27 42
Seattle 2007 2 0 2.36 73 0 45 2/3 28 12 4 17 56
Totals 10 8 3.65 195 0 128 1/3 95 52 10 60 138
Minors
Team Year W L ERA G GS IP H ER HR BB SO
San Antonio (AA) 2003 3 0 0.33 16 0 27 1/3 19 1 1 12 31
Tacoma (AAA) 2004 4 2 2.32 36 0 50 1/3 42 13 4 9 62
Tacoma (AAA) 2005 1 3 2.28 22 0 23 2/3 19 6 0 6 38
Totals 8 5 1.72 74 0 101 1/3 80 20 5 27 131
Tony Butler Pitcher
Athird-round selection in the June 2006 draft out of Oak Creek (Wis.) High, the 6-foot-7 Butler brings more size to the organization's stable of young pitchers. Butler, 20, went 4-7 with a 4.75 ERA in 20 games (18 starts) at Single-A Wisconsin. He's raw and still learning to pitch every five days. Baseball America ranked Butler the Mariners' 12th-best prospect this year. His fastball usually tops out at 92 mph, though he was clocked at 95 mph late in his senior year. Butler struggled last season at Wisconsin, losing his first six decisions and posting a 7.02 ERA in 33 innings. He also went on the disabled list twice with a "dead arm." Baseball America noted that Butler had one of the best curveballs in the Mariners' system. He also throws a changeup. His delivery isn't fluid, which might have contributed to his arm problems. Butler could develop into a middle-of-the-rotation starter.
Quotable
"He's a super-smart kid who is very interesting to us," a scout with another organization said.
Callis: "I liked him more than [Chris] Tillman a year ago, but Butler had a rockier first full pro season in 2007. That said, he's still a 6-foot-7 lefty with a lively fastball and a knee-buckling curveball. He just needs to add consistency and strength."
Minors
Team Year W L ERA G GS IP H ER HR BB SO
Wisconsin (A) 2007 4 7 4.75 20 18 85 1/3 78 45 10 46 73
Totals 4 7 4.75 20 18 85 1/3 78 45 10 46 73