Mariners First-Round Pick Hit Grand Slams in Back-to-Back Innings
Mariners 2023 first-round pick Tai Peete had a night to remember on Sunday. The 18-year-old enjoyed his best game at the plate of his professional career while featuring for the franchise’s Single-A affiliate, the Modesto Nuts.
During Sunday’s clash against the San Jose Giants, Peete hit two grand slams. Even more remarkably, he hit them in consecutive innings.
Peete’s first grand slam came in the seventh inning, and he followed that up with another bases-clearing bomb in the eighth. By the end of the night, Peete was responsible for eight of the Nuts’ 12 runs, in what finished as a high-scoring victory, 12-11.
The two grand slams were the first-ever professional home runs for the young shortstop, who was drafted less than two months ago.
Tai Peete crushes a GRAND SLAM for his 1st professional HR! Congrats @TaiPeete!! pic.twitter.com/fh2hFBLxUF
— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) August 28, 2023
Mariners first round pick SS Tai Peete hit grand slams in back-to-back innings tonight. That's pretty freakin' cool.
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) August 28, 2023
He's been impressive in his young career. Running a .368/.429/.579/1.008 w/2 HR and 4 SB slash across two levels.
????️@MiLBMarinerspic.twitter.com/CPyxAK2jP6
It was just Peete’s fourth game at the Single-A level, having started his career in the minor leagues at Rookie ball. Seattle selected him with the No. 30 pick in the 2023 MLB draft out of Trinity Christian High School in Sharpsburg, Georgia.
He now owns an impressive .974 OPS in his first 14 games in the minor leagues. MLB Pipeline currently ranks him as the Mariners’ No. 10 prospect.
At 18, Peete is still a long way away from making an impact at the major league level, but performances like his two-grand slam night on Sunday will certainly turn heads within the organization.