The Seattle Mariners officially announced that left-handed pitcher Jhonathan Diaz and INF/OF Connor Joe have been added to the major league spring training roster as non-roster invitees to camp.
The spring training roster is now at 75 players in total, including 35 non-roster invitees. Pitchers and catchers officially report to spring training on Wednesday and the M’s will open up Cactus League play on Feb. 20 against the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex.
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The Mariners are coming off a 90-win season that saw them win the American League West and advance to the American League Championship Series, both for the first time since 2001.
Now 29 years old, Diaz is a five-year veteran of the Los Angeles Angels and Mariners. He’s made six total appearances for Seattle in the last two years, pitching to a 4.09 ERA (one start).
Because he’s off the 40-man roster, he certainly faces an uphill battle to contribute to this team in 2026, but he’s absolutely good depth to have.
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The Mariners will utilize Bryan Woo, Bryce Miller, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo and George Kirby in the starting rotation. Emerson Hancock, Cooper Criswell and Dane Dunning are all options to start games if anyone is injured, and each of them is likely ahead of Diaz on the hierarchy.
Diaz had been outrighted but clearly has come back on an MiLB deal.
Now 33 years old, Joe is a former first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates (2014). He is a six-year veteran of the San Francisco Giants, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, hitting .239 lifetime with 35 homers and 145 RBIs. He hit a career-high 11 homers in 2023 with the Pirates.
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He can play first base or the outfield.
Provided everyone is healthy, Joe doesn’t have much of a chance to make the Mariners out of spring training, but he should get consistent playing time in the spring as Josh Naylor, Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena each are playing in the World Baseball Classic.
He got only 70 major league at-bats last season.
–The newest episode of the ‘Refuse to Lose‘ podcast is now out, and it features M’s broadcaster Gary Hill Jr. You can listen here.
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–Mariners Roundtable will have coverage at M’s spring training this season! First up, Brady Farkas will be in Peoria from Feb. 18-23 and will bring you everything you need to know about the M’s.
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