José Caballero #77

While growing up in Las Tablas, the capital of Panama’s Los Santos province, José played soccer, volleyball, basketball and baseball...He overcame surgeries on all four of his limbs during his journey to the big leagues…he broke the tibia and fibula in his left leg following a collision during a baseball game at 16 years old…in 2019, he had surgery on his left hand (fractured fourth metacarpal after a HBP) and his right hand (fractured fourth metacarpal on a SB attempt)…he tore his right ACL while playing winter ball in 2020 and suffered both a left fractured hamate and a re-fractured fourth metacarpal in his right hand in 2022…despite the rough path he took, José believes it was all worth it to achieve his goal of becoming a major leaguer...José won a NJCAA National Championship with Chipola (Fla.) College in 2017 after hitting .401 during the season…he was one of 13 players who were eventually drafted off the team…longtime Chipola coach Jeff Johnson, who has produced future major leaguers like Jose Bautista, Russell Martin and Adam Duvall, described José as “a guy who does everything well."...José suited up for Team Panama at the World Baseball Classic last season, hitting safely in three of four games during group play…he recorded an RBI single in Panama’s opening contest against Taiwan...He and his wife, Ana Lilena, welcomed their daughter, Analía, on August 27, 2020...Selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the seventh round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft...Hit .369 (147-for-398) 27 HR and 111 RBI over 117 games at Chipola (Fla.) College in 2016-17…was named MVP of the 2017 Junior College World Series after leading the tournament in home runs (tied, 5) and RBI (16)...Graduated from Manuel Marla Tejada Roca (Panama) High School in 2014.

2023

Appeared in 104 games and made 70 starts (2B-53G, SS-13G, 3B-4G) with the Mariners in his first Major League season after being selected from Triple-A Tacoma on April 15...Recorded 26 stolen bases, third most by a rookie in Mariners history behind Ichiro Suzuki (56SB, 2001) and James Jones (27SB, 2014)…marked the second-most steals among AL rookies, trailing OAK Esteury Ruiz (67SB), and 11th-most in the AL overall...Went 26-for-29 (89.7%) on stolen base attempts, the fifth-best success rate in the AL...Hit .265 (27-for-102) with a .758 OPS vs. LHP compared to .186 (24-for-129) with a .588 OPS against righties...His 17 HBP ranked sixth among AL hitters…was hit by a pitch in four straight games from August 17-21, tied with LAA Zach Neto (April 18-21) for the longest streak in the majors in 2023...Recorded seven defensive runs saved at second base, third most among AL second basemen behind CLE Andrés Giménez (23) and TEX Marcus Semien (16)...His 29.0 ft./sec. average sprint speed ranked in the 90th percentile of qualified Major Leaguers (Baseball Savant)...Was a non-roster invite to Mariners Spring Training for the second straight year before opening the season with Triple-A Tacoma, hitting .333 (9-for-27) with one 2B, two HR nine RBI and three SB in 10 games prior to his selection…it marked his first career action at the Triple-A level...On April 15 vs. COL, made his Major League debut in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement at shortstop...Hit .273 (15-for 55) with two 2B, two HR, nine RBI and an .832 OPS over 22 games in May, including .381 (8-for-21) vs. LHP...On May 21 at ATL, hit his first career homer off Nick Anderson…became the second Mariner with a homer and 3+ steals in the same game, joining Mike Cameron on May 16, 2002 at TOR...Recorded a career-long nine-game on-base streak from June 2-13, batting .300 (6-for-20) with 2 XBH, 6 BB, 4 HBP and 6 RBI during the run...Went 3-for-31 (.097) with 12 SO in his final 20 games from August 22–end of the season…had hit .421 (8-for-19) with three 2B and five HBP in six games prior to that stretch (Aug. 15-21)...WBC: Appeared in four games for Panama, going 3-for-13 (.231) with one 2B, one RBI and one BB.

2022

Appeared in 33 combined games between the ACL Mariners (2 G) and Double-A Arkansas (31 G), batting .245 (25x102) with 22 runs, four doubles, two home runs, 13 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts...also appeared in 16 games in the Arizona Fall League, posting an .800 OPS with six steals.

2021

Appeared in 20 combined games with ACL Mariners, High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas, batting .258 (16x62) with 16 runs scored, five doubles, three home runs, 15 RBI, 13 walks and 11 stolen bases...began the season on the Injured List and was activated and assigned to Double-A Arkansas on Sept. 8.

2020

Did not play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2019

Split season between High-A Visalia (ARI) and High-A Modesto…among California League leaders, ranked T4th in stolen bases (32)…named to the California League All-Star Team…on the 7-day Injured List with a fractured right wrist, May 31-July 31…acquired by Seattle from the Arizona Diamondback in exchanged for RHP Mike Leake on July 31…appeared in three games with the AZL Mariners, Aug. 1-3, prior to joining Modesto…played for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League (.190/12x63, 8 R, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI 9 BB, 8 SB, 23 G).

2018

Split season between Hillsboro and Kane County, combining to appear in 70 games.

2017

Began professional career with Missoula.