Mariners add an arm in Cuban lefty Misael Siverio

The Mariners have announced the signing of Cuban left-hander Misael Siverio to a minor-league deal.

The 25-year-old played for the Aguilas de Mexicali in 2013, putting up a 3-1 record with a 2.45 ERA while striking out 36 in six starts. Siverio played for Villa Clara in the Cuban National Series from 2007 to 2012 and defected from Cuba while traveling with the national team in Iowa to take on a squad of US college all-stars in 2013.

“This is a proud moment for me, to be able to join the Seattle Mariners, who have several Cubans in the organization that are my compatriots,” Siverio said on the Mariners’ website. “I feel very happy because of the way that I have been treated here in Seattle and now the only thing left to do is to do my part, work hard and reach the Major Leagues.”

Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs.com reports Siverio received a split contract that will pay him $580,0000 in the majors or $120,000 in the minors. He was also given a $275,000 signing bonus.

Listed at 5 feet 9 and 207 pounds, Siverio held a 3.24 career ERA in Cuba with a 7.6 strikeouts-per-nine-innings average and 3.6 walks per nine innings. He is scheduled to participate in the Mariners’ February minicamp but has not been invited to big-league camp this spring.

While this clearly isn’t a big-name signing, who remembers the team signing Roenis Elias in 2011? The intriguing thing for me is with the number of quality hitters coming from Cuba right now, you have to think that they are seeing a good amount of quality pitching there. Time will tell if Siverio is one of those quality arms.

Notes

• The club is reported to have interest in another Cuban, OF Yasmany Tomas, but all indications are they are not one of the clubs who met with him this weekend.

• OF Michael Saunders has changed agencies, according to this Tweet.

• With C Russell Martin signing with the Blue Jays, the Mariners will move up another spot to No. 19 in the 2015 draft if they do not sign a free agent that has been given a qualifying offer.

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