Mariners Top 20 Prospects: Number Seven

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There’s only been one trade so far that many Mariners fans feel was “screwed up” by GM Jack Zduriencik, and that was the trade that sent Brandon Morrow to Toronto for reliever Brandon League.  League has been frustrating in his time with the Mariners, but there’s still been a nice beacon of hope for the future that’s come out of that trade.  This next player is that beacon:

7. Johermyn Chavez
Position: OF |  Hits: R Throws: R
DOB:  1/26/1989  |  HT: 6’3″ WT: 220 LB
Notes:

The High Desert Effect

If you’ve known me for very long, you’ve probably heard me comment from time to time on how deceptive High Desert is as an environment for evaluating prospects.  The Mavericks have a massively offense-friendly park in what’s probably the most offense-friendly league in professional baseball.  That has lead time and again to overly-inflated offensive numbers, and good pitchers putting up bad numbers.

High Desert plays their home games in Stater Brothers Stadium, located in Adelanto, CA.  Adelanto is in the Mojave Desert, which on it’s own would increase the offensive friendliness of the park thanks to the warm, dry air.  Making the place a ridiculous bandbox is the fact that the city’s elevation is approximately 2,870 feet above sea level.  The heat plus the thin air creates just a ridiculous environment for baseball to be played in, and unlike Coors Field, there’s no humidor to be found.