Mariners acquire infielder Ty Kelly from Orioles

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager Jack Zduriencik today announced that the club has acquired infielder Ty Kelly from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for outfielder Eric Thames.

Kelly will report to the Mariners AAA affiliate Tacoma in the Pacific Coast League.

Kelly, 24, is batting .283 (80x283) with 51 runs scored, 21 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run and 47 RBI in 72 games with AA Bowie in the Eastern League. He currently ranks amongst the Eastern League leaders in runs scored (2nd, 51), doubles (T2nd, 21) and walks (3rd, 51). Since May 29, Kelly is batting .337 (35x104) with 20 runs scored, 5 doubles, 1 triple and 13 RBI. During this 27 game stretch he ranks 9th in the league in average, while his 35 hits are tied for 3rd-most.

Kelly was originally selected by the Orioles in the 13th round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft out of the University of California, Davis. In his first five professional seasons in the minor leagues, he is batting .283 (545x1924) with 287 runs scored, 98 doubles, 11 triples, 21 home runs and 239 RBI in 515 games. In 2012, Kelly led all Orioles farmhands in hits (154) and total bases (220).

Thames, 26, hit .295 (64x217) with 15 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs and 33 RBI in 57 games for AAA Tacoma. He is currently on the minor league disabled list with a left wrist laceration. Thames was acquired by Seattle on July 31, 2012 from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for RHP Steve Delabar.

Thames was designated for assignment on June 22 when Seattle activated outfielder Franklin Gutierrez from the 60-day disabled list.