The Everett AquaSox need just one more victory to be crowned Northwest League champions
The Seattle Mariners farm system has been one of the best in baseball for most of the season, and one of the organization's minor league affiliates is one win away from being champions.
The High-A Everett AquaSox entered Saturday ahead 2-1 in the best-of-five Northwest League Championship Series against the Eugene Emeralds. The AquaSox opened the series with a 9-6 win against the Emeralds at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on Tuesday; lost 4-2 at PK Park on Wednesday and won 8-5 at Funko Field in Everett, Wash.
In the AquaSox's 8-5 win Friday, top 100 prospects Jonny Farmelo and Felnin Celesten both had critical hits.
The 21-year-old Farmelo, who ranks No. 79 on MLB Pipeline's top 100 and No. 35 on Baseball America's top 100, finished the game 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run, two runs and two RBIs.
Farmelo's two extra-base hits came in the first three innings and erased an early 3-0 lead from Eugene.
Fellow top 100 prospect (No. 92 MLB Pipeline top 100) and 19-year-old shortstop Felnin Celesten also had a solid game. He went 3-for-3 with three runs, a double and an RBI. His double came in the bottom of the sixth and bolstered Everett's lead to 8-3.
Right-handed reliever Casey Hintz, who was selected in the 16th round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Arizona, pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth inning and struck out three batters.
Infielder Carter Dorighi was the only other position player with multiple hits for the AquaSox. He went 2-for-4 with a double and a run.
Left-handed reliever Calvin Schapira, who the Mariners signed as an undrafted free agent out of San Diego, earned the save after a scoreless ninth inning. He fanned three batters and walked a hitter.
Everett needs to win one more game to clinch the Northwest League championship. If they accomplish that feat, they would be the third Seattle minor league affiliate in the last two seasons to win a league championship.
The Single-A Modesto Nuts won the California League championship in 2024 (and '23) and the Double-A Arkansas Travelers won the Texas League championship in '24.
The AquSox can clinch the title in Game 4 of the Northwest League Championship Series at 7:05 p.m. PT at Saturday at Funko Field. If the Emeralds win that game, the two teams will play a the deciding fifth game of the series at 4:05 p.m. PT on Sunday at Funko Field.