Tyler O’Neill Pulled Rare Feat At Double-A

Best Player: An easy selection for the second straight year, outfielder Tyler O’Neill was simply the Mariners’ best player in the system all season. A 5-foot-10, 225-pound package of muscle, intensity and power, he dominated the Double-A Southern League at age 21.

He was named the league’s MVP and threatened to win the triple crown. He finished fourth in batting average (.293), second in home runs (24) and first in RBIs (102)—a franchise record for Jackson. Besides those basic numbers, O’Neill reached base in 113 of his 130 games played for a .374 on-base percentage. He also led the league in slugging percentage (.508) and was third in on-base (.374).

“O’Neill has been killing it since spring training,” general manager Jerry Dipoto said. “Tyler is one of the youngest players in the Southern League. For Tyler to go the Southern League and do what he’s doing is rare at his age.”

Best Pitcher: Righthander Andrew Moore isn’t an imposing presence. He won’t wow people with stuff. But Moore throws strikes and gets people out.

Moore, 22, started the season with high Class A Bakersfield, making nine starts and posting a 3-1, 1.65 record. In 54.1 innings, he struck out 47 and walked 13 while limiting opponents to a .188 average and .540 OPS.

He was promoted to Jackson in early June and continued to pitch well at the higher level, posting a 9-3, 3.16 record in 19 starts. In 108.1 innings pitched, Moore struck out 86 batters with just 18 walks.

A supplemental second-round pick in 2015 out of Oregon State, Moore has a low 90s fastball and three pitches that he will throw in any count. He’s embraced the Mariners’ approach to controlling the strike zone and projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Keep An Eye On: Following the path of teammate Edwin Diaz, righthander Dan Altavilla made the jump from Double-A to the big leagues in August. Like Diaz, Altavilla was converted to a relief role this spring. It’s a role that he flourished in. In 43 appearances with Jackson, Altavilla posted a 7-3, 1.91 record with 16 saves. In 56.2 innings, Altavilla struck out 65 batters and walked 22.

Because of the change in his role, his fastball began to sit at 95-96 mph and could touch 99 mph. Command of his slider will be vital for him going forward in the big leagues.