The Seattle Mariners power hitting prospect Tyler O’Neill of Maple Ridge is still slugging the ball as he climbs the ladder toward ‘The Show.’
After exploding for 32 home runs in single A ball with the Bakersfield Blaze in the California League last year, O’Neill has started a streak with the double A Jackson Generals this season – the Garibaldi secondary grad has posted a hit in every game so far this season.
O’Neill also has two home runs on the year, and hammered one no-doubter that soared 430 feet.
O’Neill said he has a simple strategy that will see him in the Mariner’s lineup – advancing up through the minor league ranks each year.
“Moving up every year you know is great, not having to repeat. Hopefully I can keep doing that year in and year out,” the young star told ABC News. “I mean I haven’t really changed much, I just tried to stick to a simple approach, you know just see the ball and wait for a good pitch to hit. And so far it’s working alright.”
Last year he raised eyebrows by htting 32 homers in just 106 games, and was one of the home run leaders in the minor leagues. Showing big improvement, he hit 18 of his bombs in just 49 games after the all-star break.
It was a great year, that saw him hit three homers for Team Canada in the Pan American Games in Toronto, as the Canucks won gold.
He had another three dingers in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, where many of baseball’s best prospects show what they can do.
And coming into this week, he was creating buzz among Mariner’s prosepct watchers, with a nine-game hitting streak with the Generals. He was hitting .317 with a pair of homers and seven runs batted in in his first 41 at bats.
He led his team in total bases with 22, but the big swinger has also struck out the most, with 12 whiffs.
O’Neill played minor baseball with the Langley Blaze, and was drafted by the Mariners in the third round of the 2013 draft.