Rhylan Thomas and Samad Taylor, who both appeared for the Seattle Mariners at the big-league level this season, had excellent minor league seasons with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.
The Seattle Mariners enter play on Tuesday night at 87-69 and in first place in the American League West by three games.
The Mariners are closing in on their first playoff berth since 2022 and are nearing their first division title since 2001. They can clinch a playoff berth on Tuesday with a win and a New York Yankees win over the Chicago White Sox.
But as good as the season has been for the major-league club, it's also been solid at the minor league level. The High-A Everett AquaSox won the Northwest League title and the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers are also in the PCL playoffs.
And two members of the Rainiers have put together standout seasons, leading the minors in important categories.
Outfielder Rhylan Thomas
The 25-year-old Thomas notched 178 hits in 134 games -- an average of 1.32 per day and the most in the Minors in the past five seasons. He also had a week-long stint in the Majors, so that number could've theoretically been higher. As it was, Thomas hit .325/.380/.411 while stealing 35 bases for Tacoma and finished 12 hits ahead of the Minors' second-place finisher.
Thomas had seven home runs and 78 RBIs in the minors, and he added two in the big leagues, giving him a solid 80 for the season. And he got one major league hit, checking another accomplishment off the bucket list.
The Mariners have a crowded outfield picture with Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena, Victor Robles, Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone, so it remains murky for Thomas's chances in Seattle, but he's certainly done all he can to warrant a look in 2026.
Infielder Samad Taylor
Taylor led the Minors in runs with 124, the most in MiLB since 2019 and tied for the seventh-most in the past 20 years. It helped that he went to the plate a whopping 657 times in 137 games -- the most plate appearances in a single Minor League season since at least 2005...
The 27-year-old hit .296 with 17 homers, 86 RBIs and 44 stolen bases. He also appeared in the big leagues this season, though not for long.
It's unclear what his ultimate role is in the Mariners' system as well, though their appear to be more chances in the infield with Eugenio Suarez, Josh Naylor and Jorge Polanco all likely ticketed for free agency. Perhaps Taylor could find himself in the Dylan Moore role in 2026.
Seattle Mariners right fielder Samad Taylor (0) is pictured during a game against the Los Angeles Angelsat T-Mobile Park. Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images