Carlos Triunfel Stats & Scouting Report

AB	81
AVG	.16
OBP	.188
SLG	.235
HR	1

Full name Carlos Manuel Triunfel
Born 02/27/1990 in Santiago, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 09/07/2012

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Triunfel had been ranked in every Mariners Top 30 since he signed for $1.3 million in 2006, and while that streak has ended, he did make the big leagues in 2012. His scouting report has sounded like a broken record the past few years, as he hasn't shown the ability to make adjustments at the plate. Triunfel has strength in his hands, wrists and forearms, as well as a short swing with impressive bat control. While he doesn't strike out a lot, he's extremely aggressive at the plate, and pitchers have no problem getting him to chase pitches outside the zone and get himself out. At this point he profiles as a below-average hitter with well below-average power, but he still has value because of his defensive ability, which has steadily improved the last few years. Triunfel always has had a cannon for an arm, grading out as at 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale, and he has worked hard to trim down and improve his range and angles at shortstop. He's an instinctive player in the field with above-average actions and turns a smooth double play. He's an above-average defender but his bat makes him more of a utility player than an everyday shortstop, and he offers the versatility of being able to play second base or even third. Triunfel could earn a spot on the Mariners bench for 2013.
Though it seems like Triunfel has been around forever, he'll turn just 22 in February and already has made it to Triple-A. Signed for $1.3 million in 2006, he hasn't lived up to the expectations that came with that bonus. Triunfel has impressive hand-eye coordination and bat control which allow him to hit for average, but he doesn't do much else. He's too aggressive at the plate and gets himself out by putting tough pitches in play instead of working counts. He has some strength but it doesn't translate into in-game power because he focuses on making contact rather than waiting for a pitch he can drive. Scouts long have thought that Triunfel would become too thick in the lower half to remain at shortstop, but he got slimmer and showed better agility in 2011. He's still a below-average runner, however. His best tool is his cannon for an arm. Triunfel likely will end up as a utilityman who can play anywhere in the infield. He was added to the 40-man roster in November but will begin 2012 back in Tacoma.
Signed for $1.3 million in 2006, Triunfel created buzz by reaching high Class A the next year as a 17-year-old. But his development has stalled, as he played in only 11 games in 2009 after breaking the fibula and tearing ankle ligaments in his left leg in a gruesome baserunning collision. The Mariners were just happy to see him play a full season in Double-A last year, but he put up the worst numbers of his pro career. The tools are in place for Triunfel to be a successful hitter. He has a good swing and the strength to hit for average power as well. He has exceptional hand-eye coordination, which actually gets him into trouble because he can put his bat on nearly any pitch. He gets overanxious and too often swings at bad pitches, making weak contact. He also had too much of an inside-out approach, so Seattle is trying to teach him to be more patient and to pull the ball more, as well as improving his recognition of offspeed pitches. The Mariners still are playing Triunfel at shortstop, but he's a below-average runner and lacks the range for the position. He has improved his fundamentals and toned down a glove flip that led to errors, but he still plays back on balls too much and loves showing off his cannon arm. His arm strength is good enough for a move to third base, which could happen soon but also would place greater demands on his bat. Triunfel wears his emotions on his sleeve and needs to stay more even-keeled. He has always received the benefit of the doubt because of his age and raw tools, but he's getting to the point where he needs to produce. He will still be just 21 years old when he repeats Double-A in 2011.
Triunfel signed for $1.3 million in 2006 and moved rapidly to high Class A in his pro debut a year later. After returning there in 2008, he missed most of last season when he fractured his fibula and tore ankle ligaments in his left leg during a grisly baserunning collision. Triunfel combines pure bat speed, coordination and barrel awareness to profile as a plus hitter. His impatient approach cuts into his production, but on the flip side he can hit all types of pitches to all fields. His strong, accurate arm rates at least a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale and makes him a natural fit for the left side of the infield. His hands are soft enough to play shortstop. A bat wrap inhibits Triunfel's ability to turn on quality stuff on the inner half of the plate, which artificially caps his average power potential. He's a below-average runner who lacks the quickness and range to be an everyday shortstop, and his arm would be wasted at second base. His weight ballooned to near 220 pounds while he rehabbed his leg injuries. As a result, the Mariners hired a nutritionist to formulate a strict diet for him and he got his weight back down while playing in the Arizona Fall League. Triunfel still hasn't found a defensive home. He'll head back to Double-A, where he'll continue to play multiple positions while learning to trust his surgically repaired ankle.
Triunfel signed for $1.3 million in 2006, the fourth-highest bonus among Latin American free agents that year. He reached high Class A as a 17-year-old in his pro debut and spent the entire season there in 2008, when he was the California League's youngest regular by 15 months. With tremendous hand-eye coordination, vision and barrel awareness, Triunfel has the raw attributes to be an above-average hitter, capable of spraying drives from line to line. His arm rates at least a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale in terms of both precision and carry. He has solid first-step quickness and strong reactions at third base, his likely position in the future. Triunfel lacks classic shortstop actions and struggles with the angle of the ball off the bat at second base. His smooth swing isn't conducive to generating loft, and he also employs a bat wrap that inhibits his ability to turn on inside pitches. Despite stealing 30 bases in 2008, he's a below-average runner who figures to slow down as he fills out. He drew a 10-game suspension in May for violating team rules, calling into question his attitude and maturity. Triunfel played second base, third base and shortstop in the Arizona Fall League, and the Mariners will keep his options open, as they did with Jose Lopez when he was coming up. Triunfel should advance to Double-A in 2009.
Last year, we wrote that the Mariners couldn't wait to see what Triunfel would do in his debut. The results are in: He hit his way to high Class A at age 17. While other clubs offered him more money to sign as an amateur, he chose the Mariners because of his comfort with the organization. He got $1.3 million to sign, more than all but three 2006 Latin American free agents. Triunfel broke his right thumb in May and upon his return, the Mariners pushed the young shortstop up a level. Two things elevate Triunfel above most prospects his age--his hitting instincts and his makeup. He has the handeye coordination, contact ability and strength to sting the ball from gap to gap. He makes rapid adjustments to the way pitchers work him, marking him as an above-average hitter. Unlike most young players, Triunfel is unfazed by mistakes and has the utmost confidence in his abilities. He had one of the strongest throwing arms in the two leagues in which he played. The Mariners don't take for granted that Triunfel acclimated himself to 40-degree April weather in the low Class A Midwest League. Only one Cal League player came to the plate more often without homering than Triunfel, though his first instructional league homer traveled 450 feet. The Mariners firmly believe he'll develop average power once he learns to turn on pitches, because his hands are quick, he hits the ball hard the other way and gets such good backspin. Nearly physically mature, Triunfel is thick-legged and has below-average running speed. He lacks classic shortstop actions and range, and almost certainly will have to find a new position once he fills out. Because he throws well, Triunfel could find a home at third base, and the Mariners tried him at second base in instructional league in an effort to keep him in the middle of the field. His future position may depend largely on the needs of the big league club and Seattle hasn't figured out what positon he'll play when he returns to high Class A in 2008.
Long a major player on the international stage, the Mariners shelled out $1.9 million last summer to sign a pair of Latin American middle infielders. Triunfel, a Dominican, received $1.3 million, while Mario Martinez, a Venezuelan, got $600,000. Other clubs offered Triunfel more money, but he felt most comfortable signing with Seattle. A potential five-tool shortstop, he looked so good on offense and defense in instructional league that the Mariners will consider allowing him to start his pro career in low Class A--at age 17. Triunfel has the ability to hit for average and power. He has natural strength and already drives balls with backspin that will allow them to carry out of the park once he matures physically. He has an advanced approach and hung in well against more advanced pitchers in instructional league. Triunfel is an above-average runner with good hands and a strong, accurate arm. Seattle can't wait to see what he will do in 2007.

Minor League Top Prospects

The outlook couldn't have been rosier for Triunfel coming into the season, after he reached high Class A at age 17 in his pro debut in 2007 and more than held his own. His return engagement in the Cal League, however, didn't go as well. He battled an abdominal strain early in the year, drew a 10-day suspension in May for violating team rules and earned generally bad reviews for his attitude and immaturity. Triunfel has a good swing but isn't an effective situational hitter--part of general questions about his instincts--and while he can sting the ball it doesn't look like he'll be able to elevate it for over-the-fence power. On defense, he shows first-step quickness but not great range, and his body could get too big for shortstop. In fact, his only consensus plus tool this season was his throwing arm. Triunfel's biggest strength at this point is his age. At 18 he was the youngest player in the league, and his youth left most people willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and hoping he learned lessons he can put into action next season.
Triunfel arrived in Wisconsin with some fanfare after signing for $1.3 million out of the Dominican Republic last summer, yet he still took the league by storm. At 17 the MWL's youngest player, he batted .308 and showed off a cannon arm until he fouled a pitch off his right thumb and broke it in late May. Once he healed, he moved up to high Class A and kept hitting. Triunfel has considerable offensive promise but also several adjustments to make. He didn't show much power or patience in his pro debut. The pop should come in time, though he'll have to tone down his approach. As much as MWL observers liked Triunfel, they didn't see him staying at shortstop. He's a below-average runner with a thick lower half and less-than-classic actions. That said, he still has a high ceiling and his bat should profile at third base.
The Mariners believed Triunfel was advanced when they handed him a $1.3 million bonus as a 16-year-old in 2006, but even they didn't plan on putting him in the Cal League in his first pro season. He batted .309 in low Class A to start the year before breaking his right thumb, and when he healed, Seattle sent him to High Desert. He was up to the task, hitting safely in 11 of his first 12 games and showing he could more than hold his own against pitchers often four or five years his senior. Triunfel still has a lot of holes in his game, some of which should improve as he adds strength and experience. He has yet to show much power and had trouble catching up to good fastballs. He makes consistent contact but has yet to show much on-base ability. Triunfel possessed one of the best infield arms in the league and terrific instincts at shortstop, though at times he was too flashy in the field. His below-average speed and lack of range make it likely that he'll move to third base in the future, though he should hit enough to profile at the hot corner.