Mariners Claim RHP Levi Stoudt off Waivers from Cincinnati

OF Canaan Smith-Njigba designated for assignment in corresponding move

PEORIA, Ariz. — Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Justin Hollander announced today the following roster moves:

· Levi Stoudt, RHP, claimed off waivers from Cincinnati.

· Canaan Smith-Njigba, OF, designated for assignment.

The Mariners Major League, 40-man roster remains full at 40 players.

Stoudt (stout), 26, returns to the Mariners organization after being dealt in a July 30, 2022 trade with Cincinnati that brought right-hander Luis Castillo to Seattle. Stoudt appeared in 4 Major League games (2 starts) with the Reds in 2023, going 0–1 with a 9.58 ERA (11 ER, 10.1 IP) with 8 walks and 9 strikeouts.

The right-hander was originally selected by Seattle in the 3rd round of the 2019 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Lehigh University (PA). In 65 career minor league games (59 starts), Stoudt is 19–17 with a 4.75 ERA (145 ER, 275.0 IP) with 119 walks and 247 strikeouts.

Smith-Njigba (KAY-nin smith-in-JIG-buh), 24, was claimed off waivers by Seattle on Feb. 7. He appeared in 15 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023, going 4-for-32 with a double, triple and 5 RBI in a pair of stints with the big league club. In 105 games with Triple-A Indianapolis last season, the left-handed hitting outfielder hit .280 (109x389) with 57 runs, 28 doubles, 1 triple, 15 home runs, 74 RBI, 21 stolen bases and 53 walks.

Smith-Njigba was originally selected by the New York Yankees in the 4th round of the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Rockwall-Heath High School (TX). He was traded by New York-AL, along with minor leaguers Maikol Escotto, Roansy Contreras and Miguel Yajure to Pittsburgh in exchange for RHP Jameson Taillon on Jan. 24, 2021. Smith-Njigba made his Major League debut with the Pirates on June 14, 2022 at St. Louis, recording a double as a pinch-hitter in game one of a doubleheader.