Mariners Lose Top Prospect Richie Shaffer To Phillies On Waivers

Having not even spent a month with the Mariners organization, Richie Shaffer -who was acquired as part of a mid-November trade with the Tampa Rays- is now headed to the Philadelphia Phillies after being claimed off waivers earlier today.

Just as he was ready to get settled in Seattle, one of the Mariners newest acquisitions, Richie Shaffer, found himself up for grabs on the waiver wire. Today, the utilityman prospect was snagged up by the Philadelphia Phillies, meaning he won’t have to move cross country to the Pacific Northwest after all.

When the Mariners picked up Shaffer as part of a man five-man deal with the Tampa Rays, there was a belief that the M’s had just acquired a very useful backup to both Danny Valencia at first, and Kyle Seager at third. Not to mention that he could have also subbed in for Leonys Martin in center or Seth Smith in right.

But GM Jerry Dipoto had other plans. Despite Shaffer’s undeniable athleticism and raw skill all over the diamond, Dipoto thinks that Valencia can be Seager’s backup, and Dan Vogelbach can work on his craft at first when Valencia is playing elsewhere or needs a rest.

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And for the outfield? When Dipoto went out and got Mitch Haniger -a more seasoned outfield prospect- as part of the Jean Segura deal on Thanksgiving eve, Shaffer seemed less desirable.

After all, if he would’ve been out-skilled in the infield and had to compete with about eight other men in the meadow including, Smith, Martin, Valencia, Tyler Motter (picked up in the same Rays trade), and Ben Gamel to name a handful, how could Shaffer prove himself worthy of decent playing time? In Dipoto’s mind he couldn’t, so he was designated for assignment.

It may have taken a couple of weeks, but the top-twenty, former first round pick was finally taken in by a young team that is in the process of rebuilding with grade-A prospects.

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Shaffer will most likely play a more prominent role for the Phillies than he ever could have on the Mariners. And it shouldn’t be hard for the multi-dimensional, undeniably talented Shaffer to earn the admiration of the many dissatisfied Phillies fans in the city of brotherly love.