Mariners' young catcher retires, joins organization to fight eating disorders
Mike Marjama was one of the breakout stories of the Seattle Mariners’ spring training, playing well enough to earn a spot on an Opening Day roster for the first time in his young major league career as their backup catcher.
Marjama didn’t even start playing catcher until he became a professional. He spent his off time as a substitute teacher near his hometown in Sacramento, California, and talked about how he wanted to use his platform in professional baseball to raise awareness for eating disorders, especially fighting the stigma that it’s not masculine for men who struggle with it to talk about it.
Now he’s apparently putting that to action.
The Mariners announced that their Opening Day, 28-year-old catcher has retired from baseball and will be taking on a new position with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).
Marjama was last with Triple-A Tacoma before heading to the disabled list on June 18 after taking a foul tip off the bottom of his catcher’s mask. He batted .247 (39-for-158) in 43 games with the Rainiers after the Mariners optioned him from the big-league club on April 20.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/awlLNvTH6PA" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Mariners acquired Marjama from the Tampa Bay Rays in August and he made his MLB debut as a defensive replacement the next month before making his first start on Sept. 27, going 2-for-4 with a double.
Marjama was originally a 23rd-round selection by the Chicago White Sox in 2011 after playing for current Mariners director of player development Andy McKay at Sacramento City College, where he was an infielder.
In 10 games with the Mariners to start the season, Marjama went 3-for-27 (.111) with three doubles.
With Marjama’s retirement and left-hander Ariel Miranda being released to pursue a deal to play in Japan, the Mariners’ 40-man roster is now at 37 players.
Draft updates
Dipoto confirmed that the Mariners signed Florida State catcher Cal Raleigh, their third-round draft selection, just before Friday’s 2 p.m. MLB deadline to sign draft picks.
MLB.com’s Jim Callis reported that the deal was for $854,000, which was just above the pick’s slot value.
Dipoto said Raleigh headed to the Mariners complex in Peoria, Arizona, before shortly joining short-season Single-A Everett.
The Mariners signed 34 of their 40 draft picks before Friday's deadline., those 34 players being their top 34 selections.
They weren’t going to have first-round pick, right-hander Logan Gilbert, pitch much anyway this summer, but they shut him down for good when they learned Gilbert contracted mononucleosis, which hospitalized him in Orlando.
Dipoto said Gilbert will spend 4-6 weeks recovering but they expect him to be ready for high-performance camp in spring training.
Short hops
Outfielder Mitch Haniger (bruised knee) missed his second consecutive game on Friday, but Servais said they were encouraged it wasn’t worse. Haniger said he would even be available to pinch hit in Friday’s game against the Rockies. … 2016 first-round draft pick Kyle Lewis will represent the Mariners in the 2018 Futures Game and play for the U.S. Team during the All-Star break.
On tap
Left-hander James Paxton (8-2, 3.39 ERA) starts for the Mariners against the Rockies and left-hander Kyle Freeland (8-6, 3.25 ERA) in a 1:10 p.m. Saturday game at Safeco Field. It will broadcast on Root Sports and 710-AM radio.
This story was originally published July 6, 2018 at 8:17 PM.