Mariners Moves: Rule 5 Draft additions, losses; Casey Sadler returns

The Mariners were active in the annual MLB Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday at the league’s winter meetings in San Diego, adding three players to their system, including one at the major league level.

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Here is a quick look at the players Seattle selected:

MLB phase

• Chris Clarke, RHP (from the Chicago Cubs)

The 24-year-old Clarke was a fourth-round MLB Draft pick in 2019 by the Cubs out of USC. In 2022, the 6-foot-7 hurler appeared in 26 games (21 starts) between High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee, going a combined 10-6 with a 4.64 ERA and 110 strikeouts to 25 walks.

Chris Clarke starting off strong💪 pic.twitter.com/HgUIqQ488V

— Tennessee Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 1, 2022

Players selected in the MLB phase must stay on their new team’s 26-man roster for all of the following season, and if they are placed on the injured list, they must be active for no less than 90 days. If the team decides to move the selected player off the active roster at any point in the season, he first must be placed on waivers, then be offered back to his original team if he clears. The player can only be optioned to the minors by his new team if he clears waivers and is not taken back by his original team.

Minor league phase

• Francisco Tostado, IF (from the San Francisco Giants)

The 24-year-old Tostado hit .284 with 11 home runs, 16 doubles, a triple and 19 walks in 77 games for Double-A Richmond last year. He was a 19th-round pick of San Francisco in 2017 out of Oxnard College (Calif.).

Frankie hit this one a mile 💥 pic.twitter.com/vRB3Wm66fS

— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) June 25, 2022

• Logan Warmoth, IF/OF (from the Toronto Blue Jays)

Warmoth, 27, was the No. 22 overall pick in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft by Toronto out of North Carolina. In 2022, he hit .229 with seven home runs, 18 doubles, two triples, 38 walks and 14 stolen bases in 90 games for Triple-A Buffalo.

Our first (spring) home run of 2021 belongs to @LoganWarmoth! 💪 pic.twitter.com/yGDLGkPDN3

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) February 28, 2021

Seattle also lost three players in the Rule 5 Draft:

• Jose Aquino, LHP (to Cubs in Round 1 in minors phase)
• Max Roberts, LHP (to Astros in Round 1 in minors phase)
• Riley Unroe, SS (to Angels in Round 3 of minors phase)

Mariners bring back Sadler

Seattle made a smaller move Wednesday morning, signing veteran relief pitcher Casey Sadler to a minor league contract.

Sadler, 32, was a standout in the Mariners’ bullpen in 2021 but missed the entire 2022 season while recovering from shoulder surgery. He opted for free agency from the Mariners in November after clearing waivers.

In 2021, Sadler finished with an 0.67 ERA in 40 1/3 innings (just three earned runs allowed), which was both the lowest ERA in MLB that year and set a Mariners team record for lowest ERA in a season with a minimum of 30 innings pitched.

Prior to joining the M’s, Sadler pitched in the majors for the Pirates, Rays, Dodgers and Cubs.

Sadler, who has always been a worthwhile follow on Twitter, confirmed his return to the organization with a joke on Wednesday.

Was this past month just a F.R.I.E.N.D.S episode? The real question… were we on a break or not on a break? 😆 #mylobster @Mariners

— Casey Sadler (@CaseySadler65) December 7, 2022

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