Logan Gilbert Primed To Make MLB Debut
Image credit: Justin Dunn Excited To Join Mariners' Organization
Barring injury, the question surrounding righthander Logan Gilbert is not if he will make the big leagues this season—but when.
He just won’t be in Seattle as soon as some were hoping.
That’s because the Mariners want to be conservative with the 23-year-old’s workload, particularly following limited outings at the alternate training site last season. Gilbert threw a career-high 135 innings between the Class A levels and Double-A in 2019.
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said the 2018 first-rounder from Stetson was shut down after a scintillating spring training start, going two innings against the Angels on March 7 when he struck out four, including Mike Trout. Gilbert experienced shoulder fatigue afterward.
The same was true after his 2019 workload, Dipoto said.
“We built an innings model for him this year where we would slowly ramp him up roughly starting in late April or early May,” Dipoto said, “with the hope that we would be able to preserve as many of his innings as possible for him to throw at the end of the season.”
The Mariners view a developmental win in 2021 for Gilbert as getting him through a full season with most of his innings coming at the big league level. That will include incorporating him into a six-man rotation.
But there’s certainly plenty of hype for when the 6-foot-6, 225-pound Gilbert does get his callup.
Fellow Mariners top prospect Jarred Kelenic said this spring that Gilbert was the pitcher who was the most challenging to face at the alternate site in Tacoma last summer.
“We have young pitching in the minor leagues that we’d like,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said.
“Understanding those guys didn’t pitch all last year, we have to be very careful on how we build those guys up, and when we possibly expose them to the major league level because the intensity does rise at the big league level.”
MARINADE
— Three of the Mariners’ minor league affiliates—Double-A Arkansas, High-A Everett and Low-A Modesto—began spring training games in Peoria, Ariz., on April 12. Triple-A Tacoma held off from beginning spring camp because the majority of its players are at the alternate site at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The minor league season is set to begin May 6.
— Some of the notable Double-A players in Arizona are Gilbert, Kelenic and catcher Cal Raleigh. Outfielders Julio Rodriguez and Zach DeLoach have been with the Everett squad, as has first baseman Austin Shenton, second baseman/outfielder Kaden Polcovich and righthanders George Kirby and Levi Stoudt. Shortstop Noelvi Marte and righthander Sam Carlson and lefthander Adam Macko highlighted the Modesto group.
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