After just four weeks as a member of the Everett Aquasox, Mountlake Terrace’s Aaron Brooks is being moved up to the High Desert Mavericks of the California League. Brooks is expected to be in uniform for the long season Class A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, July 17, when the Mavericks begin a six-game home stand.

Brooks, a 6-6 right-handed pitcher, is in his second year of professional baseball; he was assigned to the Class A short season Aquasox just before the start of their season in early June after playing for the AZL Mariners of the Arizona Rookie League in 2012.

The move to High Desert, while still in Class A baseball, is a step up in competition for Brooks and was viewed with mixed emotions by his father, Steve Brooks. “It is hard to see him leave Everett,” he said, “but exciting at the same time to see him progress in his career.”

“It will give us a reason to head to California as well,” Brooks added.

Steve and Susan Brooks, Aaron’s parents, had purchased season tickets to the Everett Aquasox this year to see their son play. They even made trips to some of the team’s road games. Now they will have to plan on a much longer road trip to see their son in action.

The High Desert Mavericks play their home games in Adelanto, California, a city of about 50,000 in the Mojave Desert about 60 miles northeast of Los Angeles. They play in the 10-team California League that includes franchises as far south as Lake Elsinore in Riverside County east of Los Angeles, and as far north as Stockton and San Jose.

Teams in the California League play a 140-game schedule beginning the first week of April and ending on Labor Day. Six teams qualify for postseason play beginning on Sept. 4; the playoffs and league championship series could last until September 16. High Desert, currently with a season record of 46-48, is battling to qualify for postseason play.

Brooks made nine game appearances, all in short relief, for the Everett Aquasox this year. He posted a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings pitched, earning one win and three saves, and recording 14 strikeouts and seven walks. He held opposing teams to no runs in eight of his nine appearances; his only bad outing was a June 19 appearance against the Tri-Cities Dust Devils when he gave up three runs (two earned) in two-and-a-third innings.

— By Doug Petrowski