The Everett AquaSox had a banner Wednesday when Minor League Baseball handed out its 2026 season awards, with five players earning league recognition and Felnin Celesten taking home the Northwest League’s top individual honor.
Celesten was named the league’s Most Valuable Player after a season that put him in the center of Everett’s offense. In 80 games with the AquaSox, he hit .314 with 21 doubles, 13 home runs and 52 RBIs. Among qualified hitters in the Northwest League, he finished first in batting average, on-base percentage at .409 and OPS at .943.
“It’s really cool to see that (recognition) for a guy like Felnin who was putting in the work every single day,” AquaSox Manager Ryan Scott said. “He stuck to his process every day and never let the moments get too big for him. He went out there, was himself every single day, played really hard, had a lot of fun, and it’s really cool to see the numbers show that and to see him get honored with the MVP award at the end of the year.”
Celesten’s season also included two Northwest League Player of the Week awards, on April 26 and May 3. His work with Everett eventually earned him a promotion to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers on July 20.
He was one of five AquaSox named Northwest League All-Stars. The full group also included Brandon Eike at first base, Josh Caron at catcher, Carlos Jimenez in the outfield and Luke Stevenson at designated hitter.
“We’re always proud of winning organizational awards and all of the credit goes to these guys and what they were able to do day in and day out,” Scott said. “Seeing for 132 games that these guys were able to go out and be the best ones at their position in the entire league - and to have five of those guys - is always something special.”
Eike, 24, from Powhatan, Virginia, finished his second season with Everett with a breakout year. The 2024 MLB Draft pick, selected in the 13th round at No. 393 overall, hit .295 and led the league with 129 hits. He also piled up 29 doubles, 24 home runs, a .535 slugging percentage and 79 RBIs, and he was named Northwest League Player of the Month for August.
Caron, 23, from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was back with the AquaSox for his second stint to open the season. A fourth-round pick at No. 121 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, he hit .272 in 66 games, with 19 home runs, 17 doubles and 62 RBIs. He was promoted to Double-A on July 20, the same day as Celesten, and earned Northwest League Player of the Week honors on May 31.
Jimenez, 23, from Los Alcarrizos, Dominican Republic, turned in a strong showing in High-A baseball for the first time since signing out of international free agency on July 2, 2019. In 102 games, he collected 110 hits, 24 doubles, five triples, 20 home runs and 79 RBIs, while also stealing 20 bases.
Stevenson, 22, from Flemington, New Jersey, made an immediate impact in his first professional season after the Mariners took him in Competitive Balance Round A with the No. 35 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. He led the Northwest League with 83 RBIs, hit 22 home runs and drew a league-high 98 walks, 23 more than the next player. He also posted a .405 on-base percentage and was named Northwest League Player of the Month for July 2026.
“We are absolutely thrilled to see our guys named to the Northwest League All-Star roster. This honor is a massive testament to their hard work, but it’s also a huge win for our community.
We want baseball fans throughout the Pacific Northwest to know that the path to the Major Leagues runs right through Everett,” AquaSox General Manager Danny Tetzlaff said. “When you come out to an AquaSox game, you aren’t just watching great, high-energy baseball - you are getting an up-close, early look at the future stars of Major League Baseball.
The AquaSox are very proud of each one of our All-Stars.”
Everett’s next game at home is Opening Day at Everett Memorial Stadium on April 2, 2027, against the Spokane Indians.
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