The Seattle Mariners agree on a minor league pact with the right reliever Jimmy Yacabonis, according to an announcement from the team’s player development department. Yacabonis, 28, pitched 2 1/3 innings for the Mariners in 2020 before being eliminated from the 40-man roster in mid-September. He had started the season in the Padres’ 60-man group, but was traded to Seattle for cash in mid-August.
The 2020 season marked Yacabonis’ first major league experience outside of Baltimore. The former 13th-round pick pitched widely from the Orioles bullpen every season from 2017-19, but struggled to hit a 5.75 ERA in 101 2/3 innings.
Yacabonis does not have much of a career in the majors, but he has movement well above average in his fields, which has been enough to pique interest from several clubs.
He also has solid speed and above-average spin on his four-seam fastball, though he ruled out that pitch entirely in favor of a sinker during his brief 2020 performance with the Mariners. He is likely heading to Triple-A Tacoma to open the season and give the Mariners some depth should a need arise.
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