What's going with Mariners top prospect Dustin Ackley?

The number 1 overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft, Steven Strasburg, is doing very well and will be in the majors next month. But, the number 2 pick in the draft, Dustin Ackley is struggling. What's going on?

Ackley had an amazing college career. His freshman season in '07, he hit .402 with 20 doubles, 10 homers, 74 RBI, 11 SB (3 CS), 70 runs, and a .448 OBP in 73 games. Ackley primarily played first base. He was voted national freshman of the year. His sophomore season in '08, he hit .417 with 21 doubles, 7 homers, 51 RBI, 19 SB (6 CS), 82 runs, and a .503 OBP in 68 games. He played mostly first base again. In his junior season, '09, Ackley hit .417 with 18 doubles, 23 homers, 73 RBI, 13 SB (5 CS), 75 runs, and a .517 OBP in 66 games. He once again played first base.

After being drafted by the Mariners with the 2nd overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft, Ackley signed a 5-year, 7.5 million contract. He played in the 2009 Arizona Fall League, and played well, hitting .315, with 5 doubles, 1 homer, 12 RBI, 1 SB (2 CS), 20 runs and a .414 OBP in 20 games. It seemed like everything was great. The Mariners started Ackley in Double-A. He has played 40 games so far and the results have been disastrous. Entering 5/27, he has been hitting just .203 with 8 doubles, 1 homer, 12 RBI, 5 SB (1 CS), 19 runs, and a .353 OBP in 40 games. The Mariners decided to put him at 2nd base, and he's posted a below-average .967 Fld%. So what's going on?

The reason that Ackley is not doing well is that he's learning a new position and he has to focus more on his fielding. He is not your typical 1st baseman (not that much power), but that's where he belongs. That's where he played in college. Or, he could play the outfield. Let's look at the current Mariners depth chart. At 1st base is Casey Kotchman, at 2nd base is Chone Figgins, and Ichiro, Franklin Gutierrez, and Milton Bradley are from right to left in the outfield. Figgins, Ichiro, Gutierrez, and Bradley all have multi-year contracts right now, while Kotchman has just a one-year deal. So, why don't the Mariners put Ackley at 1st base? Kotchman is hitting .190 right now!

That's what the Mariners have to do if Ackley is still hitting around .200 in 2 weeks or so. Ackley is a great athlete, and the Mariners probably think that it's a waste putting him at 1st base. But, what's the point of having a 2nd baseman if he only hits around .200! Ackley needs to be comfortable defensively to hit well. He has the potential to be the only consistant 20-20 first baseman in the majors- what's wrong with that?

Here's a possible problem: Johan Limonta. You haven't heard of him and neither have I until now. But, he's hitting .308 as the Mariners' Double-A first baseman. He doesn't play another position. So, what should the Mariners do? Let's look at the Mariner's other minor league affiliates. At High-A, Rich Poythress is playing first base and doing very well, hitting .289 with 11 homers and 44 RBI, so Ackley can't go there. At Low-A, 2 players have split the first base position: Dennis Raben and Vincent Catricala. Raben is hitting .221 and Catricala is hitting .276. Ackley should go there. You might think that he's such a top prospect and he can't be sent down to Low-A, but that's ridiculous. He's hitting just over .200 at Double-A- he deserves to go down a level or two. Hopefully, if the Mariners do what I say, Ackley would go down to Low-A, hit .300 or better, then come back to Double-A next year as the first baseman.

Maybe by going down to Low-A, Ackley won't be in the majors until 2012 or 2013, but again, why would you want a .200 hitter in the majors anyway? Unless Ackley immediately goes into a hot streak, the Mariners really should do what I say.