Tyler Marlette Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2157
AVG	.266
OBP	.328
SLG	.431
HR	71

Full name Tyler Christian Marlette
Born 01/23/1993 in Oviedo, FL
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Paul J. Hagerty
Drafted in the 5th round (153rd overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2011 (signed for $650,000).

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Evaluators like Marlette's fast-twitch athletic ability behind the plate, and his power potential is sending his draft stock higher. He has shown excellent bat speed in past showcase events, such as the Aflac all-star game last summer, when he homered at Petco Park and was the game's MVP. Then he got hot in front of crosscheckers and other high-level scouts this spring, showing power to all fields, an improvement from his past approach. Marlette has above-average arm strength as well, and earns praise for his grinder mentality. He has the makeup to be a take-charge catcher. The biggest concerns center on his size (he's 5-foot-11, 195 pounds) and scouts' views of how well he'll receive. He has a tendency to lose his front side in his swing, opening his hips early and yanking everything to his pull side. A Central Florida signee, Marlette has a chance to jump into the supplemental round and should go in the first three rounds if he's signable.

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Marlette was a high school showcase standout as a power-hitting catcher, and the Mariners drafted and signed him away from a Central Florida commitment for $650,000. After a strong start to his pro career, he hit a wall as he ballooned out of shape and his 5-foot-11 frame became pudgy. Assigned back to high Class A for the third straight season in 2016, Marlette got into visibly better shape with improved core strength and demonstrated better emotional and mental maturity in all parts of his game. He made strides in his game-calling while showing an above-average arm and improved blocking. At the plate he showed a more disciplined plate approach, which led to a new career high in walks and continued offensive success after an August promotion to Double-A Jackson. Marlette possesses plus raw power to go with improving defensive tools. He still needs to improve his below-average receiving but is trending back up and will begin 2017 at Double-A Arkansas.
Marlette's bat has always been ahead of his glove. He's not a smooth receiver, and he struggles to block balls in the dirt. He has yet to learn the focus to bear down pitch after pitch, and his game-calling must improve. Marlette led the California League in errors (12) and passed balls (22) at high Class A High Desert in 2014. He does show an average arm and threw out 33 percent of basestealers. At the plate, Marlette has fewer issues. He always looks to yank a fastball and do damage, and thanks to his quick hands, he can turn on inside pitches despite a significant load to start his swing. Marlette's bat gives him a chance to be an average hitter with 10-12 home runs. He's a bottom-of-the-scale runner. Marlette has a long way to go defensively, but his hitting ability will give him plenty of chances to work on his defense.
Marlette had a strong amateur career, including a home run at Petco Park in the 2010 Aflac All-American Game in San Diego. The Mariners' $650,000 over-slot bonus in 2011 convinced him to pass up a scholarship to Central Florida. Marlette is a bat-first catching prospect at this stage of his career. He has a good approach at the plate with a relatively good eye and a willingness to hit the ball the other way. He showed very good raw power as an amateur, which started to manifest more as doubles power with low Class A Clinton in 2013, where he also made good strides defensively. Marlette shows signs of being a potentially plus player behind the plate because his receiving skills are improving. However, his throws tend to sail at times because of improper footwork. He has a strong arm, though, and threw out 38 percent of basestealers, third in the Midwest League in 2013. With a squat body and thick lower half, Marlette will have to work hard to monitor his conditioning and avoid becoming a baseclogger. The Mariners will move him to high Class A High Desert in 2014, where he'll try to increase his workload while maintaining his offensive production.
Marlette was a high-profile player on the prep showcase circuit in 2010, winning MVP honors at the Aflac All-America game after homering at Petco Park. A fifth-round pick last June, he gave up a Central Florida commitment to sign for an over-slot $650,000. He continued to show power in big league parks after he signed, hitting several balls into the left-field upper deck during batting practice at Safeco Field. On the showcase circuit, Marlette had a tendency to get pull-happy and leak open on his front side. He did a better job of staying closed last spring and displayed plus power to all fields. He struck out 13 times without a walk in his brief pro debut, and how much he'll hit for average is tied to his ability to maintain a more disciplined approach. Marlette's offense is ahead of his defense. Though he has above-average arm strength, his receiving needs a lot of work. He's a grinder who will put in the work to improve. He has below-average speed, though that doesn't matter at his position. Marlette plays with a lot of confidence and is a sparkplug in the clubhouse. He's likely headed for extended spring training and then Everett in 2012.