Mariners News: Andrew Knizner deal final, 3 former RPs find work, Kade Anderson hype

It was on Friday afternoon that word began circling that the Seattle Mariners were nearing a deal with Andrew Knizner to be their backup catcher. Then came a couple days of radio silence that had fans wondering what was up.

Nothing, as it turns out. The Mariners and Knizner finalized a major league deal on Tuesday, as the team announced on social media:

According to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com, it's a one-year, $1 million deal for the 30-year-old veteran of seven major league seasons. It's only a couple hundred thousand more than the Mariners would have paid Harry Ford in 2026, had they kept him as Cal Raleigh's backup instead of trading him to the Washington Nationals for lefty reliever Jose A. Ferrer.

Around here, we remain unconvinced that Knizner is the best choice to share catching duties with "Big Dumper" in 2026. Yet there won't be much for Knizner to do if Raleigh keeps up his iron man act and plays in 150-plus games again. And with Knizner having signed for mere pennies, there should still be room in the budget for a big bat to fill the hole that was meant for Jorge Polanco.

Mariners News: 3 former relievers sign with new teams in free agency

Also on Tuesday, it was a busy day for former Mariners relief pitchers. Caleb Ferguson and Drew Pomeranz signed major league deals with the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Angels, respectively, while Gregory Santos joined the San Francisco Giants on a minor league deal.

Alongside Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez, Ferguson was one of the three major additions that Jerry Dipoto made at this year's deadline. He was meant to be a second reliable lefty next to Gabe Speier, but it never really worked out that way. He was used in low-leverage spots down the stretch of the regular season, and then appeared only in mop-up duty in the playoffs.

Santos was essentially a failed experiment in Seattle. He came over from the Chicago White Sox in a low-risk, high-reward trade in 2023, but the reward never came close to materializing. He battled injuries in 2024 and 2025, ultimately posting a 5.02 ERA in the 16 appearances he was able to make.

Pomeranz, meanwhile, is one that got away. He never actually pitched for the M's after signing a minor league deal late in 2024, and his tenure ended when they shipped him to the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations in April. That proved to be an own goal, as Pomeranz posted a 2.17 ERA in 57 appearances with the North Siders.

Mariners News: Kade Anderson hyped as organization's next No. 1 prospect

To round things out, Sam Dykstra of MLB.com has a fun piece out that dares to predict each team's No. 1 prospect a year from now. For the Mariners, he chose Kade Anderson to ascend to a spot that currently belongs to Colt Emerson.

It's hard to argue with the logic. With the third base job within reach, Emerson could make his major league debut as soon as Opening Day of the 2026 season. And while he has yet to throw a professional pitch since going to the Mariners with the No. 3 pick in the 2025 draft, Anderson is already the organization's No. 2 prospect for MLB Pipeline.

The only question is whether Anderson will move too fast to still be eligible as a prospect by the end of 2026. He's talented and polished enough to tear his way through the minors, potentially resulting in a Trey Yesavage-like rise.