Category: Everett Sports

Q: What AquaSox games are left in the Hillsboro Hops homestand?
Four games remain at Funko Field: Thursday May 7 (7:05 PM), Friday May 8 (7:05 PM), Saturday May 9 (7:05 PM), and Sunday May 10 (1:05 PM). The AquaSox lead the series 2-0 after wins of 8-6 Tuesday and 10-0 Wednesday.

The Everett AquaSox have been doing something this week that Funko Field fans are going to want to show up and watch. Through two games of the six-game home series against the Hillsboro Hops, the Frogs are 2-0, have outscored their guests 18-6, and have shown off the full toolkit: a stolen base game Tuesday, a shutout by a future major league starter Wednesday, two home runs in two nights from different guys, and Felnin Celesten going absolutely nuclear from the left side of the plate.

Four games remain. Hillsboro is 11-18. The AquaSox are chasing first place in the NWL first half. This is the moment.

The Remaining Schedule

Thursday, May 7 — 7:05 PM PT at Funko Field
Friday, May 8 — 7:05 PM PT at Funko Field
Saturday, May 9 — 7:05 PM PT at Funko Field
Sunday, May 10 — 1:05 PM PT at Funko Field (series finale)

Tickets at aquasox.com. Funko Field is at 3802 Broadway in Everett.

Three Reasons the Next Four Games Matter

1. The First-Half Race Is Still On
The AquaSox are now 17-14 in the NWL first half, in third place behind the Eugene Emeralds (22-6). That’s a 7.5-game gap with meaningful games still on the board. Sweeping Hillsboro — or going 4-0 — won’t close that gap entirely, but it closes it. Four wins against a team this far below .500 is exactly the kind of run that creates momentum. The Frogs play like this for four more games and suddenly the second half of May has a different feel.

2. Felnin Celesten Is Must-Watch Baseball Right Now
The back-to-back NWL Player of the Week went 3-for-5 again Wednesday to go along with 2 RBI. He is now hitting .295 on the season with 26 hits and 18 runs scored — both team leads. He is the best hitter in the Northwest League right now, and he plays every night at a park 10 minutes from downtown Everett. Come watch him.

3. The Power Surge Is Real
Luke Stevenson hit a two-run homer Wednesday. Carter Dorighi hit a three-run homer. Brandon Eike has six on the season. Curtis Washington Jr. launched one Tuesday. The AquaSox lineup has found its power, and a Hillsboro pitching staff that has given up runs all season is not going to stop it. Expect balls to leave Funko Field this weekend.

Friday Night: A Uniquely Everett Problem

Friday, May 8 presents a genuinely impossible decision for Everett sports fans. The AquaSox play at Funko Field at 7:05 PM. The Silvertips host the Prince Albert Raiders in WHL Championship Final Game 1 at Angel of the Winds Arena at 7:00 PM. These venues are two miles apart. Both events are meaningful. Both are worth attending.

There is no right answer. Pick the one that speaks to you most. Or get to Angel of the Winds early, catch the first period of the Silvertips game, then slip over to Funko Field for the later innings. Everett has never had this problem before. Enjoy it.

Who to Watch This Weekend

Beyond Celesten, keep an eye on Luke Stevenson — the Mariners’ No. 8 prospect just had his best offensive night of 2026. Watch how pitchers approach him now that he has shown the ability to take a two-run shot to right-center. Also: Brock Moore out of the bullpen. The NWL Bullpen Award winner has been automatic in high-leverage spots, and the Frogs will need him to keep delivering if the rotation is working through shorter outings in the back half of this series.

The homestand wraps Sunday at 1:05 PM. If you go to one game this weekend, go Sunday — matinee baseball at a community ballpark on a spring afternoon, with a team that is genuinely good right now. That’s as Everett as it gets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the AquaSox home schedule for the Hillsboro series?

Thursday May 7 at 7:05 PM, Friday May 8 at 7:05 PM, Saturday May 9 at 7:05 PM, and Sunday May 10 at 1:05 PM — all at Funko Field in Everett.

What is the AquaSox record in the 2026 Northwest League first half?

After Wednesday’s 10-0 win, the AquaSox are 17-14, in third place in the NWL first half, 7.5 games behind the first-place Eugene Emeralds (22-6).

Who is the hottest hitter on the AquaSox right now?

Felnin Celesten. The back-to-back NWL Player of the Week is batting .295 with 26 hits and 18 runs scored on the season, and went 3-for-5 with 2 RBI on Wednesday.

Is there a conflict between the AquaSox and Silvertips on Friday May 8?

Yes. AquaSox play at Funko Field at 7:05 PM; Silvertips host WHL Championship Final Game 1 at Angel of the Winds Arena at 7:00 PM. Both venues are about two miles apart in Everett. Tickets for both are available through their respective box offices.

Q: Did Bryce Miller pitch for the AquaSox on May 6, 2026?
Yes. Miller threw five shutout innings in a 10-0 win over the Hillsboro Hops at Funko Field on Silver Sluggers Night, allowing just two hits. Luke Stevenson led the offense with four RBI and a two-run homer; Carter Dorighi added a three-run blast; Felnin Celesten went 3-for-5.

The Funko Field faithful showed up for Silver Sluggers Night on Wednesday and got exactly the kind of baseball that makes you leave smiling: a 10-0 demolition of the Hillsboro Hops, with Seattle Mariners ace Bryce Miller dialing in across five innings and the AquaSox offense hitting everything hard and often.

Miller, working his way back from the oblique strain that kept him off Seattle’s Opening Day roster, went five full innings, allowed just two hits, walked three, and struck out two. More importantly: the Hops didn’t score once while he was on the mound. For a pitcher returning from injury, zero runs in five innings tells the story cleanly. Miller has now thrown eight combined scoreless innings across two AquaSox appearances — five tonight and three on April 24 against Spokane — and his return to Seattle feels imminent.

Stevenson Does It Again

Luke Stevenson went 2-for-4 with four RBI and his second homer of 2026 — a two-run shot to right-center that extended the lead in the middle innings. Earlier, Stevenson drove in two more with a sharp double to center, his eighth two-bagger of the season. Four RBI on two hits is the kind of efficient night that makes scouts take notice. The Mariners’ No. 8 prospect is making a case for promotion every time he steps up.

Dorighi’s Three-Run Blast, Celesten Stays Hot

Carter Dorighi contributed a three-run homer to right-center — his second of 2026 — plating Austin St. Laurent and Anthony Donofrio ahead of him. Hillsboro starter Brian Curley lasted just 3.1 innings, surrendering all 10 of Everett’s earned runs on 10 hits. When your starter gets tagged for 10 hits and 10 ER before the fifth inning, it’s that kind of night.

And Felnin Celesten just keeps hitting. The NWL’s back-to-back Player of the Week went 3-for-5 on the night with two RBI, continuing one of the hottest stretches in any High-A lineup right now. Celesten is batting .295 on the season with 26 hits and 18 runs scored. Brandon Eike chipped in a run-scoring single as well, his RBI total rising steadily alongside his team-leading six home runs.

The Bullpen Was Spotless

After Miller’s five innings, the Everett bullpen delivered three more hitless frames. Reid Easterly went two innings, allowing one hit while striking out four. Christian Little added a scoreless seventh, and Brock Moore — the NWL’s reigning Bullpen Award winner — closed the ninth with two strikeouts on a clean frame. The Hops were held scoreless for all nine innings. That’s a complete team performance.

2-0 in the Series, Four Games to Go

The AquaSox are now 17-14 and 2-0 against the Hops in this six-game homestand — winning 8-6 Tuesday behind Curtis Washington Jr.’s homer, and 10-0 Wednesday with Miller’s gem. At 7.5 games back of the first-half leading Eugene Emeralds (22-6) in the Northwest League, this homestand against a struggling Hillsboro squad (11-18) is exactly the kind of opportunity the Frogs need. Four games remain — Thursday through Sunday — with first pitch at 7:05 PM Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and a matinee Sunday. If you haven’t gotten to Funko Field yet this week, Thursday is your shot before the WHL Championship Final adds a second championship event to the Everett calendar starting Friday night at Angel of the Winds Arena.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of the AquaSox vs. Hillsboro Hops game on May 6, 2026?

Everett AquaSox 10, Hillsboro Hops 0 at Funko Field on Silver Sluggers Night, Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

How did Bryce Miller pitch in his May 6 rehab start?

Miller threw five innings, allowing two hits and zero earned runs, walking three and striking out two. He has now thrown eight combined scoreless innings across two AquaSox rehab appearances (3 IP on April 24, 5 IP on May 6).

Who led the AquaSox offense on May 6?

Luke Stevenson led with four RBI including a two-run homer. Carter Dorighi hit a three-run homer. Felnin Celesten went 3-for-5 with two RBI.

When is the next AquaSox home game?

Thursday, May 7 at 7:05 PM at Funko Field vs. the Hillsboro Hops. Tickets at aquasox.com.

What is the AquaSox’s Northwest League first-half record?

After tonight’s win, the AquaSox are 17-14 in the first half, third in the NWL, 7.5 games behind the first-place Eugene Emeralds (22-6).

Q: Which AquaSox players won Mariners minor league awards for April 2026?
A: Catcher Luke Stevenson won the Mariners Minor League Hitter of the Month, and right-hander Brock Moore won the bullpen award. Additionally, shortstop Felnin Celesten earned NWL Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week in May.

The AquaSox Prospect Pipeline Is Producing — In a Big Way

Most Everett fans probably know Felnin Celesten is one of the more exciting young shortstops in the Mariners system. They might know Jonny Farmelo is a top-6 organizational prospect. But the 2026 AquaSox roster runs deeper than that — and April’s organizational awards, combined with Celesten’s back-to-back NWL Player of the Week honors, paint a picture of a High-A squad that is legitimately developed from top to bottom.

Here is your guide to the names making noise right now at Funko Field.

Felnin Celesten: Back-to-Back NWL Player of the Week

Celesten earned Northwest League Player of the Week honors for the second straight week — an award announced on May 4 — making him the most recognizable name on the AquaSox right now outside of visiting pitchers on rehab assignments. His first POTW came after he went .471 (11-for-17) in five games against the Spokane Indians. He followed that with a .434 average in the Hillsboro Hops’ ballpark, recording at least one hit in every game of that road series and posting three multi-hit performances.

Through the early part of May, Celesten is hitting .295 on the season — which undersells how hot he has been — while leading the entire AquaSox team in hits (26) and runs scored (18). The 20-year-old Venezuelan shortstop signed with the Mariners as an international free agent in 2023 and is already one of the youngest players in the Northwest League. Two consecutive POTW awards this early in the season is the kind of noise that accelerates prospect timelines.

Watch his name carefully. The Mariners have been patient with his development, and nights like the ones he strung together in April and early May suggest the patience is being rewarded.

Luke Stevenson: Mariners’ April Hitter of the Month

Stevenson did not just have a good April — he had an elite April. The Seattle Mariners announced him as their Minor League Hitter of the Month for April 2026, and the numbers back it up completely: .321 batting average, six doubles, one home run, 10 RBIs, 20 walks, .500 on-base percentage, and a .982 OPS. Twenty walks in one month. That is a number you do not expect to see from a High-A hitter who was drafted just last year.

Stevenson is the No. 35 overall pick from the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of North Carolina — the Mariners’ catcher of the future, ranked as the organization’s No. 8 prospect. He is 22 years old, from Flemington, New Jersey, and plays with a veteran’s plate approach that belies his experience level. That .500 OBP is not an accident — it reflects elite pitch recognition and the willingness to work counts and take walks even when pitchers are challenging him.

In Tuesday’s 8-6 win over Hillsboro, Stevenson delivered an RBI single in the first inning to give Everett the early lead — exactly the kind of contribution you want from your cleanup presence behind high-ceiling tools. He is setting the tone for an AquaSox offense that is beginning to find its rhythm on the homestand.

Brock Moore: The Bullpen’s Secret Weapon

If Stevenson is the headline, Moore might be the most dominant performer on the entire AquaSox roster right now. The 25-year-old right-hander from Carmel, Indiana — a seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft out of the University of Oregon — won the Mariners’ Minor League Bullpen Award for April, and the stats are borderline absurd:

8.1 innings pitched. 20 strikeouts. 1 walk. 4 saves. 2.16 ERA. 0.48 WHIP. Three hits allowed all month. Two earned runs total.

Twenty strikeouts against one walk in 8.1 innings. That is a 20-to-1 K/BB ratio, which is extraordinary at any level of professional baseball. Moore is attacking hitters and he is getting them out — consistently, emphatically, in high-leverage spots. Four saves in April means four times he was trusted to close out a game and delivered.

Bullpen arms this reliable at High-A tend to move quickly through the system. Moore is a name to know before he’s in Tacoma.

The Wider Picture: Farmelo, Jimenez, Washington Jr.

The AquaSox roster extends well beyond the award winners. Tuesday night’s game gave a snapshot of the depth:

Jonny Farmelo (Mariners No. 6 prospect) led off the third inning with a double that started the six-run explosion. He is a left-handed hitter with plus raw power and the kind of athleticism that scouts come to Funko Field specifically to see.

Carlos Jimenez (Mariners No. 21 prospect) delivered a clutch two-run single with two outs in that same third inning, the kind of RBI situational hit that does not show up in a prospect profile but does show up in a player’s development. Jimenez has been building his RBI count steadily all spring.

Curtis Washington Jr. launched his fourth home run of the season on Tuesday night — a three-run shot to right-center that was the decisive blow in the 8-6 win. His fourth homer is already a new single-season career high. Washington Jr. is not ranked among the Mariners’ top prospects on most lists, but he is producing like someone who wants to change that.

Why This Matters for Everett Fans

The AquaSox experience is more fun when you understand what you are watching. These are not just box scores — they are snapshots of the players who will wear Mariners uniforms in Seattle in two or three years. Celesten, Stevenson, Moore, Farmelo: these names will be familiar to Mariners fans by 2027 or 2028. Right now, they are playing at Funko Field in Everett, and tickets are affordable.

Come watch them before they are too expensive to see.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who won the Mariners Minor League Hitter of the Month for April 2026?
A: Luke Stevenson, catcher for the Everett AquaSox, won the award with a .321 average, 20 walks, .500 OBP, and .982 OPS in April.

Q: Who won the Mariners Minor League Bullpen Award for April 2026?
A: Brock Moore, a right-handed reliever for the AquaSox, won the award after posting 20 strikeouts, 1 walk, 4 saves, and a 0.48 WHIP across 8.1 innings in April.

Q: Has Felnin Celesten won NWL Player of the Week twice in 2026?
A: Yes. Celesten earned NWL Player of the Week honors for two consecutive weeks in late April and early May 2026, batting .471 in his first award week and .434 in his second.

Q: What are the top Mariners prospects on the 2026 AquaSox?
A: Key Mariners organizational prospects on the 2026 AquaSox include Jonny Farmelo (No. 6), Luke Stevenson (No. 8), Carlos Jimenez (No. 21), and Felnin Celesten, among others.

Q: Where can I watch AquaSox games in Everett?
A: The AquaSox play their home games at Funko Field (Everett Memorial Stadium), 3802 Broadway, Everett, WA. The current six-game homestand against Hillsboro runs through Sunday, May 10. Tickets available at aquasox.com.

Q: What happened when the AquaSox opened the Hillsboro series on May 5, 2026?
A: Curtis Washington Jr. hit a three-run home run — his fourth of the season — as part of a six-run third inning, and Everett beat the Hillsboro Hops 8-6 at Funko Field. Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman earned the win and Casey Hintz notched his second save of the year.

Curtis Washington Jr. Lights Up Funko Field

The Everett AquaSox are home, and Tuesday night at Funko Field felt like a reminder of exactly why this roster is worth watching. Curtis Washington Jr. blasted a three-run home run to right-center in the third inning — his fourth of 2026, a new career single-season high — as the Frogs took Game 1 of the Hillsboro Hops series 8-6 in front of 754 fans on a spring night in Everett.

This was a game with some sloppiness, a five-run Hops comeback in the fifth that made it interesting, and ultimately a bullpen that held the door shut. The kind of 8-6 win that leaves you feeling good about the roster depth even while knowing there’s work to be done.

How It Unfolded: The Six-Run Third

The AquaSox took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Luke Stevenson (Seattle Mariners’ No. 8 prospect) singled home Carter Dorighi, who had reached on a Hillsboro fielding error and advanced on a wild pitch. Clean, efficient, the kind of early RBI Stevenson has been delivering all month — no coincidence he just earned the Mariners’ Minor League Hitter of April award.

Hillsboro answered in the top of the third. Adrian Rodriguez walked, Trent Youngblood and Yassel Soler singled to load the bases, Brady Counsell hit a sacrifice fly, and Yerald Nin doubled into the left-center gap to put the Hops up 2-1. It looked for a moment like Hillsboro starter David Hagaman — Arizona’s No. 8 prospect — might settle in.

He didn’t. The bottom of the third became a six-run avalanche. Mariners No. 6 prospect Jonny Farmelo led off with a double. Josh Caron walked. Luis Suisbel walked to load the bases with two outs. Then Carlos Jimenez (Mariners No. 21 prospect) lined a two-run single to right, scoring Farmelo and Caron to tie it at 3. Austin St. Laurent followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2. And then Washington Jr. stepped in and sent one to right-center — a three-run shot that made it 7-2 and sent the small but enthusiastic crowd home happy before the fifth inning even arrived.

The Hops Made It Interesting

Credit the Hillsboro Hops: they didn’t fold. The top of the fifth saw a four-run explosion that cut the lead to 7-6. Slade Caldwell (Arizona’s No. 3 prospect) walked, Counsell knocked an RBI double, Nin added an RBI single, Avery Owusu-Asiedu hit an RBI double, and Modeifi Marte brought home one more with a single to right. Suddenly it was a game again.

Everett answered in the sixth. Washington Jr. reached on a hit-by-pitch, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and Dorighi drove him home with a sacrifice fly to left. 8-6 AquaSox.

Pitching: Lunsford-Shenkman and Hintz Slam the Door

Taylor Dollard started and went four innings. Armbruester tossed one frame. Then Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman came on and was filthy — two scoreless innings, picking up his second win of the season. Casey Hintz closed it out with two more scoreless innings for his second save. The Hops had 12 hits on the night but couldn’t string them together enough in the late innings to tie it up.

Hillsboro’s pitching staff — Hagaman (2.2), Russell (0.1), Aracena (2.0), Brown (3.0) — eventually settled down, but the damage was already done by the bottom of the third.

Prospect Watch: Names to Know

Three Mariners prospects showed out in the box score tonight. Jonny Farmelo (M’s No. 6) set the third inning in motion with his leadoff double. Carlos Jimenez (M’s No. 21) delivered the clutch two-run single with two outs. And Curtis Washington Jr. provided the headline play with his three-run shot. Add in Luke Stevenson (No. 8) providing the first-inning RBI, and you’ve got a prospect showcase tucked inside an 8-6 box score.

This comes on the heels of Stevenson winning the Mariners Minor League Hitter of the Month award for April (.321 BA, .500 OBP, .982 OPS, 20 walks) and Brock Moore winning the bullpen award (8.1 IP, 20 K, 1 BB, 4 SV in April). The talent pipeline feeding through Everett right now is genuinely impressive.

Tonight: Bryce Miller on the Mound

Wednesday night is must-see baseball at Funko Field. Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller is making his second AquaSox rehab start of 2026 at 7:05 PM, continuing his recovery from the oblique inflammation that sidelined him before the season. His April 24 AquaSox outing (3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 47 pitches) was excellent. Tonight, he faces the Hops in what may be his final tune-up before rejoining the Seattle rotation.

What’s Coming This Week

The six-game Hillsboro homestand runs through Sunday, May 10, with something every night worth showing up for. Coors Light Throwback Thursday is Thursday, Star Wars Night on Saturday, Sunday Fun Day closes the week, and the AquaSox Mother’s Day Picnic rounds it out. Tickets are available at aquasox.com. All games at Funko Field, 7:05 PM first pitch (Sunday at 1:05 PM).

The Frogs are building something interesting in Everett this spring. Come watch it in person.

Box Score

Hillsboro Hops: 0-0-2-0-4-0-0-0-0 = 6 R, 12 H, 1 E
Everett AquaSox: 1-0-6-0-0-1-0-0-X = 8 R, 9 H, 1 E

Win: Lunsford-Shenkman (2-0) | Loss: Hagaman (0-1) | Save: Hintz (2)
Everett pitching: Dollard 4.0 IP, Armbruester 1.0 IP, Lunsford-Shenkman 2.0 IP, Hintz 2.0 IP
Time: 2:49 | Attendance: 754

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who won the AquaSox game on May 5, 2026?
A: The Everett AquaSox beat the Hillsboro Hops 8-6 in the series opener at Funko Field.

Q: Who hit the home run for the AquaSox on May 5?
A: Curtis Washington Jr. hit a three-run home run to right-center in the third inning — his fourth of the 2026 season and a new career single-season high.

Q: Who got the win for Everett on May 5?
A: Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman earned the win (now 2-0) with two scoreless innings; Casey Hintz earned his second save with two more scoreless frames.

Q: Is Bryce Miller pitching for the AquaSox this week?
A: Yes — Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller is scheduled to make a rehab start Wednesday, May 6, at 7:05 PM at Funko Field against the Hillsboro Hops.

Q: What promotions does the AquaSox homestand have?
A: Coors Light Throwback Thursday (May 7), Star Wars Night (May 9), Sunday Fun Day, and the Mother’s Day Picnic (May 10). All games at Funko Field — 7:05 PM weeknights/Saturday, 1:05 PM Sunday.

Q: Who are the Mariners prospects on the AquaSox in 2026?
A: Standout prospects on the 2026 AquaSox include Jonny Farmelo (No. 6), Luke Stevenson (No. 8), Carlos Jimenez (No. 21), Felnin Celesten, Brandon Eike, and Curtis Washington Jr., among others.

Q: How did the AquaSox finish the Tri-City road series?
A: Everett went 3-3 on the Tri-City road trip, dropping the series finale 7-4 on May 3 after Brandon Eike’s sixth homer tied it. The Frogs are back home at Funko Field starting Tuesday, May 5 for a six-game series vs. the Hillsboro Hops — with Bryce Miller’s rehab start scheduled for Wednesday, May 6.

AquaSox Go 3-3 at Tri-City: Eike Hits His Sixth Homer, But the Frogs Drop the Series Finale 7-4

The Everett AquaSox ended their six-game road trip at Gesa Stadium in Pasco the same way they started it — with some big moments and a result that didn’t go their way.

Sunday’s series finale: Viñeros de Tri-City 7, AquaSox 4. The Frogs tied it up at 3-3 in the fifth inning on Brandon Eike’s sixth homer of the season (a leadoff shot to start the fifth) and a Felnin Celesten RBI single. Luis Suisbel even gave Everett a 4-3 lead in the sixth, scoring from second on a wild pitch. But Tri-City blew the game open in the bottom of the seventh — Caleb Bartolero doubled home the tying run, Anthony Scull ripped a go-ahead RBI double to left, and Matt Coutney crushed a two-run homer over the right-center fence to make it 7-4. The AquaSox bullpen held after that, but the deficit was too large.

Series Summary: A Split on the Road

The full Tri-City road trip shook out like this:

Game 1 (April 28): AquaSox 8, Tri-City 3 — Luis Suisbel career-high-tie 5 RBIs (3-run HR + 2-run single), Eike’s 4th HR, Dollard solid on the mound.
Game 2 (April 29): AquaSox 10, Tri-City 7 — Rally from 7-7 in the eighth, Celesten go-ahead RBI, Ellis 2-run HR in the 9th, Little save.
Game 3 (April 30): Tri-City 6, AquaSox 4 — Eike hit his 5th HR but Tri-City got the run support Everett couldn’t match.
Game 4 (May 1): Tri-City 7 (walk-off) — Randy de Jesus walked off the Frogs with a late hit.
Game 5 (May 2): Tri-City 8, AquaSox 6 — Eike doubled to spark a late rally, Suisbel RBI single, but a five-run fifth inning by Tri-City was too much.
Game 6 (May 3): Tri-City 7, AquaSox 4 — Eike HR #6, Celesten RBI single, Suisbel scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, but a four-run Tri-City seventh ended it.

Final road trip line: 3-3. Not ideal, but not a disaster. The Frogs are 12-11 on the young season and heading home with legitimate momentum candidates in Eike and Celesten.

Prospect Watch: Eike Is for Real

Let’s talk about Brandon Eike, because his power has been the story of this road trip.

Six home runs in the first 23 games of the 2026 season. Eike is a physical outfielder who generates lift and backspin, and he’s been driving the ball to all parts of the park. His leadoff homer in Sunday’s fifth inning — hit with the team trailing 3-0 and needing a spark — showed the kind of situational awareness a young power hitter needs. He’s not just a pull-or-nothing guy. He’s using the whole field.

Keep an eye on Eike in the homestand. If he gets going at Funko Field, the box score is going to be fun to read.

Felnin Celesten, for his part, continues to be the most complete hitter on this roster. The NWL Player of the Week from the previous series hasn’t cooled off. He got the tying RBI single in the fifth inning on Sunday, and his ability to put the barrel on the ball in crucial situations is what separates him from the other prospects on this club.

Walter Ford Starts the Series Finale

AquaSox starter Walter Ford made the start in the series finale — one of the younger arms in Everett’s 2026 rotation. He went 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs (two earned) with some wild pitch issues that cost his catcher Josh Caron. Ford showed flashes: he was sharp in the first two innings before the wheels got wobbly in the third. Adam Smith relieved him and threw 1.1 scoreless innings in his first AquaSox appearance — a 14th-round Padres pick from 2021 who now has a clean line on his debut stat sheet.

Coming Up: Hillsboro Hops at Funko Field, May 5-10

The Frogs are home. Six games at Funko Field starting Tuesday, May 5 against the Hillsboro Hops (D-backs affiliate, Northwest League).

Homestand schedule:
Tuesday, May 5 (Cinco de Mayo): 7:05 PM
Wednesday, May 6: 7:05 PM — Bryce Miller Mariners rehab start
Thursday, May 7: 7:05 PM
Friday, May 8: 12:05 PM (afternoon game — also Game 1 of Silvertips WHL Final that night)
Saturday, May 9: 7:05 PM
Sunday, May 10 (Mother’s Day): 1:05 PM

Don’t Miss Wednesday: Bryce Miller Is Back at Funko Field

If you’re only making one game this homestand, make it Wednesday May 6.

Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller is scheduled for his third AquaSox rehab start at 7:05 PM on Wednesday night against Hillsboro. Miller’s previous Funko Field outing — April 24 against Spokane — was one of the best nights Funko has seen this season: 3 innings, 47 pitches, 6 strikeouts, zero runs, 98+ mph fastball, didn’t allow a baserunner until the third inning. That’s not a rehab guy going through the motions. That’s a Mariners starter getting sharp.

His prior start at Tacoma on April 18 was more modest (1.2 IP), but his April 24 Everett outing showed the command and velocity that made him one of Seattle’s better starters in 2024 (12-8, 2.94 ERA, 180 innings). If this homestand goes as expected, Wednesday night in Everett could be Miller’s last minor league appearance before returning to Seattle.

And just in case you need the full Everett sell: Friday May 8 has a 12:05 PM first pitch — so you can catch the afternoon game, grab dinner, and still get to Angel of the Winds Arena for the Silvertips WHL Championship Final Game 1 that evening. Double header of Everett sports on a Friday. Mark it down.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the AquaSox record after the Tri-City road trip?

The AquaSox went 3-3 on the Tri-City road trip and are 12-11 on the 2026 Northwest League season.

When do the AquaSox play next at Funko Field?

The AquaSox host the Hillsboro Hops at Funko Field starting Tuesday, May 5 at 7:05 PM. The six-game homestand runs through Sunday, May 10.

When is Bryce Miller’s next AquaSox rehab start?

Bryce Miller is scheduled to start Wednesday, May 6 at Funko Field at 7:05 PM against the Hillsboro Hops. His previous AquaSox outing on April 24 featured 3 scoreless innings with 6 strikeouts and 98+ mph velocity.

Who had the most notable performances in the Tri-City series?

Brandon Eike hit his 5th and 6th home runs of the season during the road trip. Felnin Celesten delivered multiple RBIs. Luis Suisbel had a career-high-tie 5-RBI game in the opener. Zach Dollard was sharp in Game 1, and Adam Smith had a solid debut in Game 6.

Who are the Hillsboro Hops?

The Hillsboro Hops are the Arizona Diamondbacks’ High-A affiliate in the Northwest League, based in Hillsboro, Oregon. They’re one of Everett’s NWL divisional rivals.

More on the AquaSox: AquaSox Wrap Tri-City Road Trip This Weekend, Then Bryce Miller Comes to Funko Field Wednesday | AquaSox Rally to Beat Tri-City 10-7 | Bryce Miller’s Second AquaSox Rehab Start Is Wednesday May 6 at Funko Field