Mariners acquire Overton, claim Gosewisch off waivers

SEATTLE -- Jerry Dipoto sat at the podium in front of a flock of reporters at the Mariners' pre-Spring Training media luncheon on Thursday, and said he liked the team he'd put together for 2017, but "we're never done."
Shortly after, the ultra-busy general manager pulled off a couple more moves.
The Mariners acquired 25-year-old lefty Dillon Overton from the A's for Minor League catcher Jason Goldstein, which stands as Dipoto's 12th trade of this winter, and 37th in 16 months since taking over the job from Jack Zduriencik. The club also claimed catcher Tuffy Gosewisch off waivers from the Braves and designated catcher Jesús Sucre for assignment.
Overton struggled in seven appearances (five starts) during his first Major League experience last season for the A's, but he pitched well for Triple-A Nashville, going 13-5 with a 3.29 ERA in 21 games (20 starts). He then went 1-3 with an 11.47 ERA for Oakland, allowing 12 home runs in 24 1/3 innings.

Overton is now Seattle's No. 10 prospect, per MLBPipeline.com.
"Dillon has been successful at every level of the Minor Leagues," Dipoto said. "He is a young, controllable pitcher with Major League upside, who adds to our depth."
Goldstein was Seattle's ninth-round Draft pick last year and closed out the season at Class A Short-Season Everett.
That move further fits the mold of what Dipoto has been doing since taking over in Seattle.
"Obviously, it's been an active offseason for us," Dipoto said of his flurry of acquisitions. "We really like the way the club is lining up for 2017. We'll have 60 players coming to camp, and we're excited about the balance we have and the upgraded level of athleticism.
"We really like the depth. We're getting to the point now where there'll be small moves made around the margins, but this is our team. This is the bulk of it. We'll continue to look for ways to add that extra piece or player that provides more flexibility. We'll find ways to keep improving."
Moments after Dipoto turned the microphone over to manager Scott Servais, the club announced Gosewisch had been claimed to add catching depth at the Triple-A level, with right-hander Jonathan Aro designated for assignment to open a spot on the 40-man roster.
Gosewisch appeared in 33 games for the D-backs in 2016, hitting .156 with three home runs and seven RBIs before being claimed off waivers by Atlanta in November.

He spent parts of the last four seasons with Arizona, batting .199 with 17 doubles, five home runs and 30 RBIs in 126 games.
The Mariners have starter Mike Zunino and veteran Carlos Ruiz to handle their Major League catching chores, but Sucre was out of Minor League options, and Gosewisch provides insurance now if the club is unable to retain the 28-year-old as he's exposed to waivers.
Overton adds another lefty to the club's Triple-A rotation depth. He was a second-round Draft pick of the A's in 2013, and has been one of the club's top prospects even after Tommy John surgery in '14.
Worth noting
• Assistant trainer Rob Nodine said right-handed relievers Steve Cishek (hip) and Tony Zych (shoulder) are both beginning light throwing programs now as they recover from offseason surgeries, and they'll be re-evaluated at the start of camp, with the possibility of being on the mound toward the end of Spring Training. That suggests neither is likely to be ready for the start of the regular season.
• Outfielder Kyle Lewis, last year's first-round Draft pick, is still targeted for a midseason return as he recovers from knee surgery.
• The City of Peoria has installed a new scoreboard at the club's Spring Training stadium in Arizona, and the Mariners say the 2,100-square foot board will be the largest in any MLB spring facility.