Mariners will call up pitching prospect Logan Gilbert to start homestand opener
The Mariners were already expected to promote top prospect Jarred Kelenic ahead of their next homestand, which begins Thursday night in Seattle.
But, he won’t be the only prospect arriving in the clubhouse ahead of this seven-game stretch. Several outlets reported Wednesday afternoon that right-hander Logan Gilbert, the organization’s No. 4 prospect, will also head to Seattle, and start the homestand opener against Cleveland.
Mariners manager Scott Servais confirmed the reports postgame Wednesday after the Mariners dropped their fourth consecutive game in a 7-1 loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Gilbert will debut Thursday night at T-Mobile Park, Servais said. Kelenic will also be added to the roster ahead of the game.
Outfielder Taylor Trammell, the organization’s No. 5 prospect who debuted as Seattle’s Opening Day center fielder, will be optioned to Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move, with additional roster moves expected Thursday to make room for Gilbert and Kelenic.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the possibility of Gilbert making his debut in the homestand opener Wednesday afternoon on Twitter. Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times was the first to report the possibility of Gilbert joining the big league club this weekend.
Reports of Kelenic’s imminent call up surfaced earlier this week.
Gilbert’s addition will help boost Seattle’s ailing rotation, which has already sent four starting options — James Paxton (forearm strain), who has who has since had season-ending Tommy John surgery, Nick Margevicius (shoulder inflammation), ace Marco Gonzales (forearm strain) and Ljay Newsome (elbow inflammation) — during the first six weeks of the season.
The Mariners initially had right-hander Chris Flexen scheduled to pitch Thursday night against Cleveland, but will likely push his start to Friday ahead of Justus Sheffield’s next turn Saturday.
Gilbert has had a normal five days rest — in keeping with Seattle’s six-man rotation setup which is also being followed at the Triple-A level — after making his season debut with the Rainiers last Friday.
The 24-year-old impressed in his first outing in more than 600 days — he last pitched in a game for Double-A Arkansas in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 minor league season — efficiently completing his five scheduled innings.
Gilbert worked quickly through Triple-A El Paso’s lineup twice, allowing one run on four hits while striking out five. He threw 67 pitches, including 47 for strikes.
“I felt like I could have went more, but it was good just getting five innings, getting built up, and hopefully continue to build up next start,” he said postgame that night.
Gilbert retired each of the first six batters he faced, including striking out three consecutive between the first and second innings. He got Luis Campusano, the Padres’ No. 3 prospect, Patrick Kivlehan and and Brian O’Grady all swinging.
Webster Rivas and Ivan Castillo checked in with back-to-back singles to lead off the third, and Tucupita Marcano drove in a run on a bunt base hit, but that was all Gilbert allowed.
He worked around a leadoff infield base hit in the fourth, and retired the final six batters he faced in order, including striking out John Andreoli to end the fourth, and Pedro Florimon looking to end his outing in the fifth.
“Logan pitched great today,” Rainiers manager Kristopher Negron said postgame. “That’s just what Logan does. That’s the first time I’ve really got to see him really dig into the bump and throw and it’s impressive. His mentality from first pitch on was great. Even after he knew he was coming out he was still locked in wanting to go back out there.”
Gilbert is considered the No. 28 prospect in all of baseball. He was Seattle’s top pick in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Florida’s Stetson University, and jumped three levels of the minors in his first professional season in 2019, finishing with a 10-5 record and 2.13 ERA across 26 starts between Low-A West Virginia, High-A Modesto and Arkansas.
This story was originally published May 12, 2021 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Mariners will call up pitching prospect Logan Gilbert to start homestand opener."
