Minor League Baseball
Red-hot Tuiasosopo is promoted to Everett

By Bob Sherwin
Seattle Times staff reporter

Matt Tuiasosopo hit .412 in the rookie league.

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BALTIMORE — Matt Tuiasosopo, the Woodinville High shortstop the Mariners gambled on in the major-league baseball draft in June, appears to be the real deal.

He was promoted yesterday to Everett of the Northwest League, a move the team's minor-league officials had resisted for the 18-year-old. But Tuiasosopo simply tore up the rookie league playing shortstop for the Mariners' team in Peoria.

He hit safely in 18 of 20 games, batting .412 (28 of 68) with eight multi-hit games, five doubles, two triples, four home runs and 18 runs scored.

"He's a very good runner, good arm, good power. He's the classic five-tool guy. That's why we gave him a lot of money and went after him so hard," said Roger Jongewaard, the Mariners' special assistant to the general manager. "He's a special player."

The Mariners took Tuiasosopo in the third round with the 93rd pick. The club believed he was first-round quality but lasted until the third round because of other options, including a scholarship offer to play quarterback for Washington. Other teams may have backed off because of that.

Seattle reportedly paid Tuiasosopo $2.1 million, a record deal for a third-round pick.

"He's a quality guy, but we knew he'd be a tough sign," Jongewaard said. "Obviously, a lot of the good guys are gone by the third round, so you try to find guys who might be tougher to sign. That's why we gambled with him."

Tuiasosopo chose baseball, for which he has a profound love. It was a high-risk, high-reward decision. He did his damage in Peoria against mostly older players, ones with college experience and third- and fourth-year players from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

"They're more mature. But the good ones, like (Rickey) Henderson, (Ken) Griffey, the real good ones, it just seems like they just go up and keep going," Jongewaard said. "He's (Tuiasosopo) a gifted athlete. He uses the whole field. He doesn't struggle for the ball, which gives him a much, much better chance to hit."
 
One area in which Tuiasosopo needs improvement is his fielding. His accuracy on throws to first base has not been consistent.

He is expected to be available to play for the AquaSox at 7:05 tonight against the Eugene Emeralds at Everett Memorial Stadium.