Welcome back, Taijuan Walker. Mariners sign former first-round pick to 1-year deal
Get ready for a happy reunion this spring in Peoria, Ariz.
The Seattle Mariners are bringing former first-round draft pick Taijuan Walker, who they traded to the Diamondbacks three years ago, back into their rotation mix.
Walker, now 27 years old and a free agent looking for a new club after parting ways with Arizona in December, was spotted at Seattle’s spring training facility Wednesday morning.
Minutes after it was reported Walker might audition for his former club — he threw in a session for the Cubs on Monday — the right-hander posted a photo of himself on his Twitter account wearing a Seattle uniform, indicating that a reunion with the Mariners was imminent.
The club confirmed signing Walker to a one-year, $2 million contract several hours later. Walker can reportedly earn up to $3 million total with incentives.
“We’re excited to bring Taijuan back to Seatte,” Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a release. “We believe our opportunity and his skill set are a great match and know that, if healthy, he can be an impact major league starter for us.”
Walker will likely slot in as the final pitcher in Seattle’s five-man starting rotation, which already has Marco Gonzales, Yusei Kikuchi, Justus Sheffield and Kendall Graveman penciled in.
Right-handed reliever Austin Adams, 28, continues to recover from ACL reconstruction surgery last fall, and was placed on the 60-day injured list to make room for Walker on the 40-man roster.
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While the Mariners aren’t exactly expected to contend for a playoff spot in 2020, these six weeks of preseason workouts and games will give us a closer look at some of the top prospects — like outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez, and former first-round draft pick Logan Gilbert — expected to be key pieces of the club’s future, and some of the young players battling for Opening Day roster spots. We’ll also be able to catch up with the more experienced players — like veteran third-baseman Kyle Seager and ace pitcher Marco Gonzales — already in Seattle’s clubhouse.
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Walker played the first nine seasons of his professional career in Seattle’s organization. He was drafted as a supplemental first-round pick by the Mariners in 2010 as a 17-year-old out of Southern California’s Yucaipa High School.
Even then, after playing less than two full seasons of high school baseball, having focused mostly on basketball, Mariners scouts still projected Walker as a possible future ace for the franchise with an above-average fastball.
He was one of Seattle’s top prospects as he worked his way through the minors, eventually breaking into the big leagues near the end of the 2013 season. Injuries somewhat hampered him the following season, but he opened 2015 as a member of the Mariners’ starting rotation, and was for a long time seen as the heir apparent to longtime Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.
He posted career-highs in starts (29) and innings (169 2/3) in 2015, and made another 25 starts for the Mariners the following season. He ultimately posted a middling 22-22 record and 4.18 ERA in 65 games (62 starts) with Seattle across his 357 innings in parts of four seasons.
But, many have suggested the Mariners perhaps gave up on Walker’s continued development too soon when they traded him to the Diamondbacks following the 2016 season as part of a five-player deal.
Walker left along with shortstop Ketel Marte, and the Mariners received shortstop Jean Segura, outfielder Mitch Haniger and left-handed reliever Zac Curtis in the deal.
Haniger, who is recovering from core surgery that could keep him off the field throughout spring training, is the only player still with the organization from that trade. Segura, after a tumultuous tenure with the Mariners was traded to the Phillies in 2018 as part of the deal that brought current starting shortstop J.P. Crawford to Seattle. Curtis is a free agent.
Walker made just 32 starts in his three injury-riddled seasons with the Diamondbacks, 28 of those coming in his first season with the club in 2017, during which he recorded a 9-9 record and 3.49 ERA. He underwent Tommy John surgery after making just three starts the following season, and logged only one in 2019 before he was non-tendered in December. He did not record a decision during his final two seasons with Arizona.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published February 12, 2020 at 10:48 AM.
