HOOVER, AL - MAY 23: Outfielder Hayden Yost #16 of the Florida Gators hits a single during the SEC Baseball Tournament Semifinal game between Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators on May 23, 2026, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Tacoma Rainiers The Rainiers have been rolling as of late, taking five of six against Reno this week in what was one of their best series all season. This offense has been firing on all cylinders and finally looks like it’s capable of carrying a team. It’s unfortunately too late for the Rainiers to have any realistic hope of a playoff run, but a strong end to the season would give the fans some good baseball they’ve been deprived of for much of the year.
Oh my goodness. Lazaro Montes hits an INSIDE-THE-PARK HR! pic.twitter.com/UPfvGEJ0T9 — Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) August 13, 2026
Lazaro Montes is on another planet right now. The 21 year old slugger launched three more homers on the week (including one of the inside-the-park variety) and raised his season total to 35 on the season, breaking his career high of 32 from last season. In the month of August, Montes is slashing .340/.417/.792 with seven homers; he’s got a great chance of getting to the 40 homer mark on the year, putting him amongst the most formidable power hitters in all of minor league baseball. Laz’s extreme offensive approach makes him a bit of a polarizing prospect, but at some point, the results have to speak for themselves; given his track record of dominance, Montes is a strong candidate to contribute to the major league roster at some point next season. Arkansas Travelers It was a major let down for the Travs this week, taking just one of the six games against the always tough Tulsa Drillers. This was a real test between two of the best Double-A teams in the minors, and unfortunately for the Travs, they didn’t have any answers to this Drillers roster. Once in the thick of the playoff hunt, a postseason berth is now looking like more of a pipedream than a possibility, as they now sit seven games out of position.
Ryan Sloan was awesome tonight. Final line: 5.2IP, 5H, 1R, 1BB, 9K, 11 whiffs, 7 groundouts, 72 pitches, 49 strikes. pic.twitter.com/qcpVdZ84Xq — Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) August 16, 2026
Despite the disappointing results from the series, both Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan did their part in taking down the Drillers. Anderson (5.2 IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 7K) dazzled under the Friday night lights and tormented opposing batters all game, and Sloan (5.2 IP, 5H, 1R, 1BB, 9K), who’s had a magical year himself, shut down one of the best lineups in MiLB as a 20 year old. How the M’s choose to navigate the development of these two arms will likely play a large part in how they go about constructing the roster for next season, but from a performance perspective, they’ve certainly held up their end of the bargain. Hopefully the M’s can clear a pathway to the majors for the pair of hurlers and let them show off their lights out stuff against big league competition. Everett AquaSox The AquaSox took the series this week by a score of four to two, taking down a Spokane squad that’s struggled to get things going in the second half. The Frogs remain in the playoff race, standing just 2.5 games out of first place; Eugene, who won the first half title, is leading the second half standings as well, so as long as Everett can catch Vancouver and finish second behind the Emeralds, they’d get the chance at taking the title.
Korbyn Dickerson goes oppo for a solo HR. 3-hit game for Dickerson. pic.twitter.com/xArwUZ8qfF — Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) August 16, 2026
Korbyn Dickerson has adjusted well to High-A and looks more than comfortable at the plate right now. The speedy outfielder raised his OPS up to .876 this week, and his 31 stolen bases on the year puts him near the top of the system on the basepaths. Dickerson’s blend of speed and power make him a very fun prospect that should be on people’s radar as a breakout candidate next season. If he can find a bit more consistency with the bat-to-ball skills, he’s going to be a really special talent. Inland Empire 66ers IE managed a split this week, unfortunately unable to make up ground in the standings against Lake Elsinore. The 66ers have had the best run differential of any team in the California League this second half, and given their strong upward trajectory since the recent additions from the draft, it feels like a good bet that we’ll see the 66ers in the postseason. This team rakes.
Congrats to Ace Reese on his first professional HR! 3-hit game for the Mariners first round pick. pic.twitter.com/cenOeK4Sgm — Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) August 12, 2026
First rounder Ace Reese has made mincemeat of the Cal League in his first go at professional baseball. The former Mississippi State slugger is rocking a .522 batting average across his first seven games, and his 1.272 OPS underscores just how dominant he’s been at the plate. A-ball is probably a step down from where Reese was in the SEC this past season, so to see him utterly dominate in his first handful of games is a great sight to see and puts him on the shortlist for players to monitor through the end of this 2026 season.
My goodness. Hayden Yost goes 470ft for his 2nd HR & 4th hit today. 4-5, 2HR, 2B, 3R, 5RBI. pic.twitter.com/UPQ9lyfJaY — Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) August 17, 2026
Not to be outdone by SEC rival Reese, fifth rounder Hayden Yost has provided a jolt atop this IE lineup and looks like an absolute steal through his first three weeks of pro ball. Yost, an outfielder out of Florida, was one of the hottest hitters in college baseball to close out the season, and he’s carried that level of production into the California League. Slashing .368/.405/.737 so far, look for Yost to finish this season strong; he’s absolutely crushing the baseball right now and has shown few, if any, holes in his game thus far. DSL Mariners For all the attention that Gregory Pio and Juan Rijo have (deservedly) received this season, Jarvis Gomez might just be the best hitter of the three. Now up to a .996 OPS on the year with more walks than strikeouts, Gomez has tacked on 15 stolen bases and looks like a rather complete player at the plate. Getting to see him compete stateside next year is going to be a ton of fun.