Big Trade, Big Signings Highlight Successful Draft Day for Mariners

After failing to find anything helpful in the early trade market, the Seattle Mariners found pay dirt on Tuesday, bringing back fan favorite Travis Adams in a big deal with Detroit. Adams, 28, enjoyed a breakout season in 2027 with Seattle after making the move to catcher, and has been the Mariners' most consistent offensive force the last two seasons. However, with the availability of only one Veteran Extension, and ace Rafael Pineda in the final year of HIS contract as well, the team was forced to allow Adams to reach free agency. He barely missed the Top 70 Bidding, and was picked up in the restock draft by the Tigers early last week. The team managed to send two prospects, reliever Martin Laird and outfielder Robert Caribulle, and the 62nd Overall Pick in the 2028 draft (picked up from Toronto in the Julio Santeraio deal last season). Laird, 22, has made one appearance in his career, and pitched a perfect 1/3 of an inning. Caribulle, 22, has yet to make a major league appearance in his career. Seattle added veteran righty reliever Jim Milton to the bullpen in the deal as well. Milton went 6-6 last season in a career high 102 appearances, with a 2.93 ERA and 6 saves.

Seattle was not done there. The team signed veteran catcher Scotty Scully to a 4 year, $12M deal in Free Agent Bidding to give themselves depth at a position that they have greatly lacked in recent history. The biggest signing was of team captain Mauricio Biswana, who signed a 1 year, $14M contract extension to stay with the team. After making the move to the bullpen 2 seasons ago, Biswana has been one of the most effective relievers in the game. He appeared in 81 games last season, and finished with a 7-3 record, with a career best 2.62 ERA and 6 saves. He set the record for innings pitched as a reliever in his first season in the bullpen with 263.2, and made his first and only career All-Star Game appearance to date.

The team's top draft pick this season was left fielder Eric Jenson. Jenson, 23, adds to an already impressive young outfield at SAFECO Field, which already includes Zomiro Puig (#6 Overall in 2026), Vincent Pastore (#3 Overall in 2028), and veteran and former Rookie of the Year Mario "God's Gift" Sosa. Unlike Pastore and Puig, who both were every day starters in their respective rookie seasons, Jenson is instead expected to offer some power off of the bench, and the ability for the team to rest its top 3 OF without disrupting the rest of the lineup.