SEATTLE – Cole Young, come on up.
Officially.
The Mariners called up their No. 2-ranked prospect from Triple-A Tacoma before Saturday’s game against Minnesota with the 21-year-old middle infielder expected to make his MLB debut at T-Mobile Park after making the drive up I-5.
Young, the youngest player in the Pacific Coast League, is in the midst of a red-hot month for the Rainiers, hitting .370 with a .466 on-base percentage and an 1.146 OPS, with a 190 wRC+ (100 is average) and nearly twice as many walks (15) as strikeouts (8) over his last 118 plate appearances.
“Obviously, it’s the back of my mind. You’re just one call away,” Young said in an interview Thursday in Tacoma. “But the past month, I’ve been focusing on just getting better every day. I just wanted to get out of that struggle I was in. I wasn’t focused on the big leagues. It was like, ‘OK, let’s get out of this; let’s get back to [being] myself.’ When that time happens, it happens.”
It’s happening now.
Switch-hitting infielder Leo Rivas was optioned to Tacoma to clear a roster spot for Young. The Mariners also reinstated Bryce Miller from the 15-day injured list to start Saturday’s game against the Twins. Right-hander Casey Legumina, who was tagged for five earned runs in the 10th inning of Friday night’s loss, was optioned to Tacoma. Legumina also allowed the game-winning homer in the ninth inning last Sunday to Houston’s Christian Walker.
The M’s also designated right-hander Will Klein for assignment.
After a strong first month from Mariners second basemen, production has cooled considerably at the position of late, with Dylan Moore, Miles Mastrobuoni and Rivas sharing second-base duties.
The left-handed-hitting Young, listed at 5 feet 11 and 180 pounds, is likely to get regular time as the second baseman against right-handed starters.
Young was the Mariners’ first-round pick out of North Allegheny High School in Wexford, Pa.
Baseball America’s latest Top 100 prospects list has Young ranked No. 51.
Young was pulled after the third inning from Tacoma’s game on Friday night at home against Salt Lake. He was 0 for 1 with a walk on Friday before getting lifted.
For the season, Young was hitting .277 with an .853 OPS for the Rainiers.
Young is rated as the No. 2 prospect in the Mariners farm system with the ballclub hoping his arrival will provide a jolt after a rough stretch over the past week.
The M’s have lost six of the past eight and fell into second place in the AL West after losing to Minnesota in extra innings on Friday night.
Seattle Times’ Tim Booth contributed to this report.