Nick Fleece

Righthander Nick Fleece spent his first year at Texas A&M as a reserve outfielder before finding a niche in the bullpen. He flashed arm strength in the past and the Mariners drafted him in the 27th round last June, but coaches and scouts questioned his work ethic because he carried close to 250 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame. He has looked like a different guy this spring, dropping to 215 pounds and operating at 90-92 mph with his fastball, peaking at 95. He works off his fastball, which has good sinking life, and picks up deception from his funky arm action. He always has filled the strike zone, and his slider has improved, though it still gets slurvy at times. As a senior sign, he'll come at a discount.