Mariners reacquire RHP Dugger from Marlins

Seattle loses righties Lockett, Hamilton on waivers

December 7th, 2020

SEATTLE -- , traded to the Marlins by Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto three years ago, was reacquired on Monday as Seattle claimed the 25-year-old right-hander off waivers.

Dugger pitched in 11 games for Miami over the past two seasons, making eight starts and posting a 7.40 ERA in 45 innings. He was 0-4 with a 5.77 ERA in seven starts for the Marlins in 2019, then appeared in four games last season (including one start) while allowing 21 hits and a 12.66 ERA in 10 2/3 innings.

While Dugger is added to Seattle’s 40-man roster, the Mariners lost two other right-handed pitchers who were claimed by other teams on Monday. Walker Lockett was claimed by the Blue Jays, while Ian Hamilton went to the Phillies, putting the Mariners’ 40-man roster at 38 heading toward Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft.

Lockett, 26, posted a 4.32 ERA in five relief outings for Seattle in the final month of last season after being claimed off waivers from the Mets on Sept. 1. Hamilton, 25, grew up in Vancouver, Wash., and played at Washington State, but never had a chance to pitch for the Mariners after being claimed off waivers from the White Sox on Sept. 25.

Dugger was drafted in the 18th round by Seattle in 2016 out of Texas Tech, then traded to Miami along with fellow prospects Nick Neidert and Christopher Torres as part of the deal that brought Dee Strange-Gordon to the Mariners prior to the ’18 season.

The 6-foot, 198-pounder features a four-seam fastball that averaged 92 mph this past season, per Statcast, as well as a slider, curve and sinker. He went 6-6 with a 3.31 ERA in 13 starts for Double-A Jacksonville in 2019, as well as 2-4 with a 7.59 ERA in 10 starts for Triple-A New Orleans, then split time this past season between the Marlins and their alternate training site.