Mariners Sign Three Players to MiLB Deals with Spring Training Invites
OF Cole Gillespie, RHP Matt Palmer, RHP Ramon Ramirez will participate in Major League Spring Training
Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik announced today the club has signed the following players to minor league contracts and invited them to Major League Spring Training:
- OF Cole Gillespie
- RHP Matt Palmer
- RHP Ramon Ramirez
These players are not on the Mariners 40-man roster (currently full at 40 players). They will participate in Major League Spring Training when camp opens next month in Peoria, Ariz. Pitchers and Catchers are scheduled to report Feb. 12 with the first on-field activity on Feb. 13. Position players report Feb. 17 with the first full-squad workout Feb. 18.
Gillespie , 29, has played all three outfield positions in parts of three seasons in the Majors with Arizona (2010-2011), San Francisco (2013) and Chicago-NL (2013). He was originally selected by Milwaukee in the 3rd round of the 2006 June Draft out of Oregon State University. He helped lead the Beavers to the 2006 NCAA College World Series Championship and was the Pac-10 Player of the Year. He is a Northwest native from the Portland suburb of West Linn.
Palmer , 34, has appeared in 63 Major League games (20 starts) with San Francisco (2008), Los Angeles Angels (2009-2011) and San Diego (2012). Last season he went 6-8 with a 3.84 ERA (57 ER, 133.2 IP) in 25 appearances (22 starts) with AAA Albuquerque in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He was originally selected by San Francisco in the 31st round of the 2002 June Draft out of Missouri State University.
Ramirez , 32, has pitched in parts of eight seasons in the Colorado (2006-2007), Kansas City (2008), Boston (2009-2010), San Francisco (2010-2011, 2013) and New York Mets organizations (2012). He was a member of the Giants 2010 World Championship squad posting a 0.67 ERA (2 ER, 27.0 IP) in 25 relief appearances during the final two months of the season. He was originally signed by Texas as a 16-year-old outfielder, but was converted to pitcher, and did not make his US professional debut until 2003 in the New York Yankees organization.