Mariners unveil 2015 Minor League rosters
Top-ranked Jackson opens season with Class A Clinton; Peterson at Double-A
SEATTLE -- Outfielder Alex Jackson, the Mariners' top-ranked prospect by MLB.com and the team's first-round Draft pick last June, will begin the season with Class A Clinton, while 2013 first-round pick D.J. Peterson opens the year with Double-A Jackson as the club announced its Minor League rosters on Tuesday.
Jackson, 19, played 23 games in the Arizona Rookie League last year after signing as the sixth overall selection as a high school senior out of San Diego.
Video: LAD@SEA: Peterson makes diving grab behind first
Peterson, 23, split last year between Class A Advanced High Desert and Jackson, and he will open this year with the Double-A club. He's Seattle's No. 2 ranked prospect on the MLB.com rankings. Also on the Jackson squad is outfielder Gabby Guerrero (No. 5), the 21-year-old nephew of Vladimir Guerrero. He spent all of last season with High Desert.
Triple-A Tacoma's roster is loaded with top prospects and Major League veterans. Infielder Ketel Marte (No. 3) and infielder/outfielder Patrick Kivlehan (No. 4) will open the season with the Rainiers, both getting bumped up after ending last season with Jackson.
Video: Prospects Peterson, Kivlehan on future with Mariners
Among the Tacoma players with Major League experience with the Mariners are left-handers Roenis Elias, Lucas Luetge and Joe Saunders, right-handers Dominic Leone and Mark Lowe, outfielders James Jones, Stefen Romero and Franklin Gutierrez and first baseman/DH Jesus Montero.
Catcher John Baker, an eight-year Major League veteran, also will start the year with Tacoma, along with top catching prospect John Hicks.
Left-hander Danny Hultzen, who missed all of last season following shoulder surgery, will open the season on the disabled list as he continues getting work in extended spring camp in Arizona. The plan for Hultzen is to continue building his arm strength before assigning him to a Minor League club. Veteran lefty reliever Joe Beimel is also pitching in extended spring camp after re-signing with Seattle last week.
The four Mariners full-season Minor League squads -- Tacoma, Jackson, Bakersfield and Clinton -- open their seasons on Thursday. Bakersfield has replaced High Desert as Seattle's Class A Advanced affiliate this year. The short-season Class A Everett squad opens in June, along with the Arizona Rookie League club and Dominican Summer League squad.