OF Cole Gillespie selected from AAA Tacoma

Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik announced the following roster moves this morning:

• Cole Gillespie, OF, selected from AAA Tacoma
• Nick Franklin, INF, optioned to AAA Tacoma (post-game 4/23)
• Erasmo Ramirez, RHP, optioned to A High Desert (post-game 4/23)

Gillespie (will wear #16) will be in uniform for tomorrow's series opener vs. the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field (7:10 pm). The Mariners active Major League roster is currently at 24 players, and a transaction will be made prior to tomorrow's game vs. the Rangers to fill the 25-man roster. The Mariners 40-man roster is now full at 40 players.

Gillespie, 29, was batting .362 (21x58) with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs and 14 RBI in 16 games with the Tacoma Rainiers (1.197 OPS). The Portland, OR native started 9 games in left field, 6 games in right field and one game at DH. He recorded at least one hit in 11 of his 16 starts, including 8 multi-hit games.

Gillespie has appeared in 78 career Major League games with the Diamondbacks (2010-2011), Giants (2013) and Cubs (2013). He was originally selected by the Brewers in the 3rd round of the 2006 June Draft out of Oregon State University. He was the 2006 Pac-10 Player of the Year leading the Beavers to the College World Series title.

Franklin, 23, appeared in 7 games for the Mariners after being recalled from AAA Tacoma on April 16. He went 2-for-16 (.125) with a triple. He made four starts at four different positions (2B, 3B, DH, RF). In 11 games with Tacoma he is batting .395 (17x43) with 3 doubles, 4 home runs and 13 RBI.

Ramirez, 23, is 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA (18 ER, 24.0 IP) in 5 starts this season. After earning the win in the Mariners second game of the season vs. the Los Angeles Angels, Ramirez is 0-3 with a 8.47 ERA (16 ER, 17.0 IP) over his last 4 starts.