SEATTLE, Wash. – The Seattle Mariners have selected outfielder Jonny Farmelo out of Westfield High School (Chantilly, VA) with their second selection (29th overall) in the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Director of Amateur Scouting Scott Hunter announced tonight.

Farmelo, 18, batted .385 (51x126) with 60 runs scored, 22 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs and 29 RBI with a .546 on-base percentage and a .773 slugging percentage (1.319 OPS) in 48 career games for Westfield High School. Farmelo struck out just 25 times in his high school career, while walking 41 times for the Westfield Bulldogs.

“Jonny is a left-hand-hitting high school centerfielder from Westfield High School in Virginia. He is a powerful athlete who possesses the rare combination of speed and power,” Hunter said. “We see Jonny developing into a middle-of-the-order bat that will hit for both average and power, as well as make things happen with his elite speed.”

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound outfielder is rated as the No. 39 overall draft prospect, the No. 10 outfield prospect, and the No. 16 high school position player by MLB.com. He committed to the University of Virginia on July 28, 2020.

He is the second player to be drafted out of Westfield High School after Brandon Snyder was picked 13th overall by the Baltimore Orioles in 2005. Big leaguer Justin Bour attended Westfield but was drafted out of George Mason University.

Farmelo was named to the Class 6 All-State Baseball Team by the Virginia High School League in 2023.

The Mariners earned the 29th overall pick in the draft as a result of Julio Rodríguez winning the Rookie of the Year Award after being named in at least 2-of-3 top 100 prospect lists from ESPN, MLB.com and/or Baseball America and accruing a full year of Major League service time.
The Mariners selected INF Colt Emerson (22nd overall) with their first pick in the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft. The Mariners will make two more selections tonight with the Competitive Balance A (30th overall) and their 2nd round pick (57th overall).

The 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft continues tomorrow with rounds 3-10, beginning at 11:00 a.m. PT. Rounds 11-20 will take place on Tuesday, beginning at 11:00 a.m. PT.