Report: Mariners sign Ishikawa to minor-league deal

After eight big-league seasons with five clubs, first baseman Travis Ishikawa just might have a chance to come home.

The Mariners reached an agreement with Ishikawa, a Federal Way native, on a minor-league deal, according to twitter report Saturday by Chris Cotillo of SBNation.com.

Club officials said no completed deal is in place.

Ishikawa, 32, split last season between San Francisco, Pittsburgh and three minor-league clubs. He batted .206 in 44 minor-league games with one homer and eight RBIs.

The report indicates Ishikawa’s deal includes an invitation to big-league came and will pay him $900,000 if he spends the entire season in the big leagues.

A left-handed hitter, Ishikawa has a .255/.321/.391 split (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) in 1,050 career plate appearances over 488 games. He also has 23 homers and 137 RBIs.

Ishikawa led Federal Way High School to the 2001 Washington 4A title and to the title game in 2002. San Francisco then drafted him in the 21st round and swayed him from Oregon State with a $955,000 signing bonus.

That bonus, at the time, was the highest ever given to a player not selected in the first round.

Ishikawa reached the majors in 2006 but could never achieve full-time duty and often was sent back to the minors. He signed with Milwaukee as a free agent after the 2011 season.

Other stops included the New York Yankees and Baltimore along with time in the minors in the Chicago White Sox’s organization.

Bob Dutton: @TNT_Mariners

This story was originally published January 16, 2016 at 8:50 AM with the headline "Report: Mariners sign Ishikawa to minor-league deal."