PEORIA, Ariz. -- Pitcher Taijuan Walker has been selected to serve as a guest judge for the Mariners' 2016 Honorary Bat Girl Contest, an MLB-wide program to recognize one fan for each club who has been affected by breast cancer and demonstrated a commitment to battling the disease.
Walker, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, will help select the winning submissions among the Mariners' entries.
The winner of the Mariners competition will be recognized prior to the May 15 game against the Angels at Safeco Field.
Entries will be judged based on originality, quality of writing, demonstration of commitment to breast cancer awareness and public appeal, as determined by online fan votes.
Mariners fans, ages 18 and older, can share stories about themselves or loved ones who are "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" by visiting HonoraryBatGirl.com, powered by MLB Advanced Media. Entries will be accepted through April 14 at 1:59 p.m. PT.
The Honorary Bat Girl program was introduced in 2009 to raise additional awareness and support for the annual "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" initiative, which is commemorated on Mother's Day.