Paxton among 7 Mariners to play in Fall League
Lefty reliever Rollins, No. 4 prospect Peterson also selected to Peoria
HOUSTON -- Left-hander James Paxton, who has missed much of the season with a strained middle finger on his throwing hand, was one of seven Mariners selected to play in the Arizona Fall League this offseason.
Paxton began the season as the Mariners' No. 2 starter, and he went 3-3 with a 3.70 ERA in 10 starts before going on the disabled list. He will make his third rehab start for Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday in Salt Lake City and is expected to rejoin the Mariners' rotation next week, but the AFL will give him a chance to get in some additional work against some of baseball's top prospects in October and November.
Manager Lloyd McClendon said the plan is for Paxton to pitch about 30 innings in the AFL.
Also selected to play on the Peoria Javelinas were left-handed reliever David Rollins, this year's Rule 5 Draft pick, as well as infielder D.J. Peterson, the club's No. 4 prospect and first-round Draft pick in 2013.
Video: Top Prospects: D.J. Peterson, 3B, Mariners
Right-handed pitchers Paul Fry and Tony Zych, infielder Tyler Smith and outfielder Tyler O'Neill will also participate.
The Mariners are one of five teams who send players to the Javelinas, along with the Braves, Orioles, Padres and Reds. The AFL plays from Oct. 13 to Nov. 21 in a six-team league that takes players from all 30 Major League clubs.
Zych was one of four players called up by the Mariners from Tacoma on Tuesday when Major League rosters could be expanded for September. He posted a 3.41 ERA in 25 appearances for the Rainiers.
Fry has a 2.11 ERA in 18 relief appearances for Double-A Jackson this season. Smith has hit .268 in 116 games for Jackson, while O'Neill is batting .263 with 30 homers and 81 RBIs in 99 games for Class A Advanced Bakersfield.
Peterson hit .223 with seven homers and 44 RBIs in 93 games for Jackson, then played four games for Tacoma before going on the disabled list with an Achilles tendon injury.
Rollins has made 15 relief appearances for Seattle this season, posting an 8.57 ERA after missing the first half the season on the suspended list.