Results tagged ‘ Vinnie Catricala ’
Eight Mariners Selected to Play in Arizona Fall League
Major League Baseball today announced the rosters for the Arizona Fall League, and eight players in the Mariners organization will play for the Peoria Javelinas.
- RHP Logan Bawcom
- LHP Bobby LaFromboise
- LHP James Paxton
- RHP Carson Smith
- C Mike Zunino
- INF Vinnie Catricala
- INF Nick Franklin
- INF Stefen Romero (taxi squad – active on Wednesday & Saturday)
Mike Zunino has combined to bat .367 with 13 home runs and 40 RBI in his first 40 professional games with Everett and Jackson.
“We are extremely proud with the seasons each of these players have had this year and look forward to seeing all of them compete in the Arizona Fall League,” said Mariners Director of Player Development Chris Gwynn. ” The Arizona Fall League allows each player to set goals and work on individual areas of their game, while competing against some the top prospect in the minor leagues.”
In addition to the eight Mariners players, Jackson (AA) pitching coach Lance Painter will serve on the Javelinas coaching staff.
Opening Day for the 20th Anniversary season of the AFL is set for Tuesday, Oct. 9. The six-team league, owned and operated by Major League Baseball, plays six days per week (Monday-Saturday) in six Cactus League stadiums in the Phoenix area — Mesa Hohokam Stadium (Solar Sox), Peoria Sports Complex (Javelinas), Phoenix Municipal Stadium (Desert Dogs), Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (Rafters), Scottsdale Stadium (Scorpions) and Surprise Stadium (Saguaros). Daily start times are 12:35 p.m. and 6:35 p.m., and games can be followed online at MLB.com.
You can follow the Arizona Fall League on twitter via @MLBazFallLeague.
Mariners Spring Training Update – Day 5
Day 5 / Thursday, February 16, 2012 / 40 Days ‘til Opening Night in Tokyo / 56 Days ‘til Opening Night in Seattle
Weather: Not a cloud in the sky during workouts as the temperatures hovered in the lower to mid-60’s.
Quote of the Day: “Heads Up!” – Players and coaches yelled to General Manager Jack Zduriencik warning him after infielder Vinnie Catricala hit a scorching line drive that nearly hit the golf cart Jack was riding in. This following a shot down the line that almost took out a group of photographers.
Vinnie Catricala
The Day: Day 5 was very similar to day 4, with pitchers taking PFP (Pitcher’s Fielding Practice), while half the pitchers had a throwing session in the bullpen. Starters Felix Hernandez, Jason Vargas and Blake Beavan threw their third bullpen session, while a crowd of coaches and media stayed and watched pitchers Stephen Pryor, Erasmo Ramirez, Danny Hultzen, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton throw in the bullpen as well.
So far 60 of the 66 players invited to Major League camp have been spotted around the complex. The position players will officially report tomorrow for physicals, while the first full squad workout is on Saturday.
Infielder Vinnie Catricala impressed many of the coaches during his BP session this afternoon. Besides nearly taking of the GM and half the photographers watching, he was hitting the ball all over field. Looks like he is picking up exactly where he left off at the end of last year. Catricala was named the Mariners Minor League Player of the Year in 2011, after hitting .349 (182×521) with 101 runs scored, 77 extra-base (2B – 48, 3B – 4, HR – 25) and 106 RBI in 133 games combined between A High Desert and AA Jackson. Among full season minor leaguers he ranked 2nd in extra-base hits, 3rd in hits, T3rd in doubles, T4th in batting average and T9th in RBI.
Tweet of the Day:
Man it feels good to be back on the field. Its #baseball season. #mariners. It was a lil chilly today but.Otherwise perfect. Weather
— Vinnie Catricala (@VinnieCatricala) February 15, 2012
Carlos Peguero wins the award for longest drive of the day. He launched a mammoth shot that hit the 32-foot-high batter’s eye in center field 410-feet away to highlight BP. Not sure if the ball bounced back to the field or got stuck in the chain-link fence.
A group of 35 of the Mariners top Minor League players are in camp today for physicals to take part in the team’s annual mini camp for many of top lower-level prospects. The first workout for mini-camp players is tomorrow and workouts will run through March 1. Mini-camp is an opportunity for players to receive one-on-one instruction from the coaching staff and work on improvement plans for Spring Training and the rest of the 2012 season. Among players taking part in the mini camp are highly regarded prospects right-handed pitchers Victor Sanchez and Carter Capps, catcher Marcus Littlewood, infielders Brad Miller and Cavan Cohoes and outfielders Guillermo Pimentel, Phillips Castillo and Jabari Blash.
- KM
FanFest Photo Gallery – Day 1
Photo Credits: Ben VanHouten/Seattle Mariners
Mariners FanFest Social Media Central
We’ve got a new way to experience FanFest this year — online.
Visit the Mariners FanFest Social Media Schedule online to view timings of live Facebook Chats and Twitter Takeovers that will originate from on top of the visitor’s dugout at Safeco Field this weekend. Fans at the ballpark can participate with their smartphones and tablets, and it’s a fun way for our fans across the Northwest to login from home and join the conversation.
Follow @Mariners on Twitter, and use hashtag #MarinersFF, like us on Facebook, and check the blog for updates on what’s happening behind the scenes. We’ll update frequently.
We’ll also be live streaming the Dugout Dialogue sessions from FanFest all day Saturday and Sunday on Mariners.com.
Saturday – Social Media Schedule:
| Time | Personnel | Event |
| 11:10 a.m. | Mike Carp (@carpusmaximus20) | Twitter Takeover |
| 12:00 p.m. | James Paxton (@James_Paxton) | Facebook Chat |
| 12:00 p.m. | Taijuan Walker (@tai_walker) | Twitter Takeover |
| 1:00 p.m. | Miguel Olivo | Facebook Chat |
| 1:45 p.m. | Brandon League | Twitter Takeover |
| 2:30 p.m. | Jack Zduriencik | Facebook Chat |
Sunday – Social Media Schedule
| Time | Personnel | Event |
| 11:30 a.m. | Trayvon Robinson | Facebook Chat |
| 12:00 p.m. | James Paxton (@James_Paxton) | Twitter Takeover |
| 12:30 p.m. | Vinnie Catricala | Facebook Chat |
| 1:00 p.m. | Brendan Ryan | Twitter Takeover |
| 1:30 p.m. | Jesus Montero | Facebook Chat |
| 1:45 p.m. | Jason Vargas | Twitter Takeover |
| 2:00 p.m. | Danny Hultzen | Facebook Chat |
| 2:30 p.m. | Casper Wells (@UpstateBaller) | Twitter Takeover |
- RH
Mariners Invite 9 Organizational Players to Spring Training
Today, we announced that 9 organizational players have been invited to Major League Spring Training. These players are in addition to the 16 players the Mariners have signed as minor league free agents. So, as of right now, the spring training roster consists of 65 players. Here is the Mariners current 40-Man Roster with spring training invites.
Here are the 9 Mariners minor league players that will participate in Major League Spring Training:
- RHP Taijuan Walker
- LHP James Paxton
- INF Nick Franklin
- OF Vinnie Catricala
- RHP Erasmo Ramirez
- RHP Stephen Pryor
- RHP Forrest Snow
- C Jesus Sucre
- C Ralph Henriquez
There are a few names on here that fans will be very excited to see roaming the upper fields in Peoria.
The list includes seven of the Mariners top 20 prospects for the 2012 season as listed by Baseball America, including Taijuan Walker (#2), James Paxton (#4), Nick Franklin (#5), Vinnie Catricala (#9), Erasmo Ramirez (#13), Stephen Pryor (#15) and Forrest Snow (#19). Additional top 30 prospects C Jesus Montero (#1), LHP Danny Hultzen (#3), RHP Chance Ruffin (#7), RHP Tom Wilhelmsen (#8), INF Alex Liddi (#14), OF Chih-Hsien Chiang (#24), INF Carlos Triunfel (#25), LHP Mauricio Robles (#26) and OF Johermyn Chavez (#28) are on the 40-man roster.
Additionally, the Mariners had five players named among MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects:
- C Jesus Montero (#12)
- LHP Danny Hultzen (#16)
- RHP Taijuan Walker (#18)
- INF Nick Franklin (#52)
- LHP James Paxton (#77)
The Mariners were one of five organizations to place at least 5 prospects on this year’s Top 100 list, and ranked highest with 329 Prospect Points (100 points to the team with the No. 1 prospect, 99 to the team with No. 2 and on down).
Walker, 19, was named the Mariners Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2011 going 6-5 with a 2.89 ERA (31 ER, 96.2 IP) with A Clinton. He was recently named the No. 8 right-handed pitching prospect by MLB.com. Walker was originally selected by Seattle in the supplemental first round (43rd overall) in the 2010 June Draft.
Paxton, 23, was recently named the No. 8 left-handed pitching prospect by MLB.com (Hultzen was No. 3). He made his debut in 2011 combining to go 6-3 with a 2.37 ERA (25 ER, 95.0 IP) in 17 starts with A Clinton and AA Jackson. Overall, he ranked 2nd in the minors with 12.41 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (131 SO). Paxton signed with the Mariners last March after being selected in the 4th round of the 2010 June Draft.
Franklin, 20, also garnered attention from MLB.com as the No. 6 shortstop prospect. Despite missing an extended period of time in 2011 with a concussion, Franklin still hit .281 (99×352) with 64 runs scored, 13 doubles, 7 triples, 7 home runs and 26 RBI with the AZL Mariners, High Desert and Jackson. He capped his 2011 season being named the MVP of the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game. In 2010 he was one of only three minor leaguers to turn in a 20 HR-20 SB season (23 HR, 25 SB). Franklin was selected by Seattle in the first round (27th overall) in the 2009 June Draft.
Catricala, 23, was named the Mariners Minor League Player of the Year in 2011 combining to bat .349 (182×521) with 101 runs, 48 doubles, 4 triples, 25 home runs and 106 RBI in 133 games with A High Desert and AA Jackson. Among full season minor leaguers he ranked 2nd in extra base hits (77), 3rd in hits, T3rd in doubles, T4th in batting average and T9th in RBI. Catricala was selected by the Mariners in the 10th round of the 2009 June Draft out of the University of Hawai’i.
Ramirez, 21, combined to go 10-8 with a 4.83 ERA (82 ER, 152.2 IP) in 26 starts with Jackson and Tacoma. Ramirez is 35-14, 3.10 in his minor league career (79 G/73 GS), including being named the 2009 Mariners Minor League Pitcher of the Year after going 11-1, 0.51 as a 19-year-old with the Venezuelan Summer League Mariners.
Pryor, 22, combined for 10 saves with High Desert and Jackson last season. The hard-throwing right-hander averaged 11.05 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in 39 relief appearances. He was originally selected by Seattle in the 5th round of the 2010 June Draft out of Tennessee Tech University.
Snow, 23, went 5-12 with a 5.09 ERA (81 ER, 143.1 IP) in 28 appearances (21 GS) split between Clinton, High Desert and Tacoma. The University of Washington product led the Arizona Fall League with a 1.10 ERA (2 ER, 16.1 IP). Snow was originally selected in the 36th round of the 2010 June Draft.
Sucre, 23, split time between AA affiliates with Atlanta (Mississippi) and Seattle (Jackson) organizations last season. He combined to throw out 31 of 60 attempted base stealers (51.7%).
Henriquez, 24, saw action in 80 games last season with High Desert, Jackson and Tacoma. He was originally selected by Houston in the 2nd round of the 2005 June Draft and signed with Seattle as a minor league free agent on Dec. 11, 2009.
MLB Network: Top Prospects List Unveiled Tonight
The Mariners are certainly excited about all the talent that is coming up through the minor league pipeline and as some of you may know, a few of those talented young players will be here at FanFest this weekend: LHP Danny Hultzen, RHP Taijuan Walker, LHP James Paxton & OF Vinnie Catricala.
If you would like to get an idea of what the future of baseball may look like around the league, you’ll want to check out MLB Network or MLB.com tonight at 7pm PST when they will unveil the Top 50 Prospects in baseball. The complete rankings, including prospects 51-100, position and team lists, can be found at “Prospect Central” at MLB.com/prospects. MLB.com writer Jonathan Mayo will also discuss the top 100 prospects in an online chat on Friday, January 27th at 2:00 p.m. ET on MLB.com.
Newly acquired Mariners catcher Jesus Montero will surely be on the list, but he certainly hopes it is the last time:
“I don’t want to be a prospect anymore, I want to be in the big leagues,” said Montero. “I want somebody else to be the number one.”
If you read our earlier post about MLB.com’s list of the top 10 prospects at each position, you will have an idea of some of the Seattle players that will show up on the Top 100 list tonight. You can also add Montero to the list, as he was rated as the top catching prospect.
RHP Taijuan Walker was named the Midwest League's Top Prospect by Baseball America (Photo by Bill Mitchell).
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