Mariners top prospect called 'Ferrari' gets unusual opportunity to shine

The Seattle Mariners won't look exactly like their usual arrangement for most of the spring.

Outfielders Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena will both be leaving camp to go play in the World Baseball Classic.

That does create opportunity, though. And one youngster who is set to take advantage is Jonny Farmelo.

The 21-year old Farmelo was named by ESPN's Alden Gonzalez as the player to watch during the spring for the Mariners. It's a pretty notable spot for a guy like Farmelo to be recognized.

"Farmelo, a 21-year-old outfielder drafted out of high school at No. 29 in 2023," Gonzalez writes. "They're excited to see him. Former center fielder and current special assignment coach Mike Cameron calls him 'Ferrari' because of his speed and strength. His tools, a team source said, 'are huge,' though he has yet to put them on display for a prolonged stretch."

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So far in his professional career, Farmelo has been held back by injuries.

"Farmelo tore an ACL in 2024 and spent most of 2025 sidelined by a rib injury," Gonzalez writes. "But he's healthy now and expected to make big strides through their system in 2026."

Farmelo won't begin the year in the majors, so any kind of time he gets during the spring with the big club is mostly a bonus, a chance for him to show the staff what he can do so he's on their minds down the road when it becomes his time for real.

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It's also a chance to prove he can stay healthy and be steady through the ups and downs of moving up the baseball ladder.

Eventually, the kid they call "Ferrari" will likely get his full chance. In the meantime, he'll do what he can to seize this opportunity for however long it lasts.

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