Mariners Sign Outfielder Justin Upton
Upton has appeared in 15 Major League seasons (2007–21), including 4 All-Star appearances, amassing 1,748 career hits, 324 home runs and 1,000 RBI
BOSTON, Mass. — Seattle Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today the following roster moves:
· Justin Upton, OF, signed to a 1-year Major League contract.
· Adrian Sampson, RHP, designated for assignment.
Seattle’s Major League, 40-man roster remains full at 40 players.
Upton, 34, will report to extended Spring Training in Peoria, Arizona. Upton has appeared in 15 Major League seasons with Arizona (2007–12), Atlanta (2013–14), San Diego (2015), Detroit (2016–17) and Los Angeles-AL (2017–21). The outfielder has appeared in 1,828 Major League games, batting .262 (1,748-for-6,673), totaling 1,056 runs scored, 1,748 hits, 349 doubles, 38 triples, 324 home runs, 1,000 RBI, 151 stolen bases and 779 walks.
Upton most recently played with Los Angeles-AL, appearing in 89 games with the Angels during the 2021 season. He batted .211 (67x318) with 47 runs, 12 doubles, 17 home runs, 41 RBI, 4 stolen bases and 39 walks.
Upton is a 4-time All-Star (2009, ’11, ’15, ’17) and 3x Silver Slugger Award winner (2011, ’14, ’17). Among active players, Upton ranks 7th in home runs (324), 8th in RBI (1,000), 6th in runs scored (1,056), 11th in hits (1,748), 11th in doubles (349), 13th in stolen bases (151) and 7th in total bases (3,145). He has appeared in 1,012 career games in left field, 763 in right field and 6 in center field.
The Virginia native was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 1st overall pick of the 2005 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. He made his Major League debut with Arizona at the age of 19 on Aug. 2, 2007.
When he first appears in a game with Seattle, Upton would become the 10th player to be drafted 1st overall in the MLB First-Year Player Draft and later appear in a game with the Mariners, joining Floyd Bannister, Al Chambers, Jeff Burroughs, Mike Moore, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Tim Belcher, Andy Benes and Tim Beckham.
Sampson, 30, was claimed off waivers by Seattle from Chicago-NL on May 13 and was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. He did not appear in a game with the Rainiers. In 5 starts with Triple-A Iowa (CHC) this season, he went 0–3 with a 3.66 ERA (8 ER, 19.2 IP) with 6 walks and 13 strikeouts.
The Washington native attended Skyline High School in Sammamish, Wash., before attending Bellevue Community College (Wash.), where he played 2 seasons. The right-hander was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 5th round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Sampson owns a 5.13 ERA (108 ER, 189.1 IP) in 52 career MLB appearances (25 starts) with Seattle (2016), Texas (2018–19) and Chicago-NL (2021–22).
