Seattle claims RHP Danner off waivers to pad 'pen depth
SEATTLE -- For only the third time this offseason, the Mariners made an external addition to their 40-man roster on Wednesday, but it wasn't the high-profile type that fans have been clamoring for in what's been a notably quiet winter.
Right-hander Hagen Danner is the new acquisition, claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays. Seattle's 40-man is now at 39 players.
Danner, 26, spent most of last year at Triple-A Buffalo, where he made 33 of his 34 appearances. Overall, he went 3-0 with a 3.06 ERA, 13 walks and 36 strikeouts across 35 1/3 innings. He was designated for assignment by Toronto on Dec. 20, 2024.
He appeared in just one MLB game with the Jays, on Aug. 11, 2023, vs. the Cubs, before he was forced to exit his MLB debut with a left oblique strain.
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Danner was a second-round pick by the Blue Jays in 2017, selected out of Huntington Beach High School (Calif.) as a catcher. He spent three years (2017-19) in the organization as a backstop before transitioning to the mound ahead of the '21 season.
His first year was encouraging, when he compiled a 2.02 ERA over 35 2/3 innings at High-A Vancouver, with a 29.4% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate. In 96 Minor League appearances, Danner is 6-3 with 13 saves and a 3.00 ERA (38 ER, 114.0 IP) with 39 walks and 135 strikeouts.
Danner represents bullpen depth for the Mariners, who typically make minor moves like this around this time of year, with Spring Training on the horizon, hoping to unlock potential. Past such success stories include Paul Sewald, Justin Topa, Drew Steckenrider and Gabe Speier.