Up to this point, the Seattle Mariners' offseason moves have only been noteworthy in terms of how underwhelming they've been, with all due respect to Donovan Solano. Now comes news of another organizational roster addition, which will not be moving the needle either.
The Mariners have signed Jack López to a minor league deal. The 32-year-old was selected in the 16th round of the 2011 draft by the Kansas City Royals and has limited experience at the Major League level.
Theoretically of some interest to Mariners fans, López spent the past two seasons with their divisional rivals, the Los Angeles Angels. This includes playing 27 Major League games for them last year, producing a home run and six RBI on the way to a .254/.286/.343 slash line and .629 OPS.
The only other season López saw action at the Major League level was back in 2021, when he played seven games for the Boston Red Sox. The majority of his experience has come in Triple-A, with a career .251/.300/.386 slash line and .686 OPS in 587 games.
The main reason the Mariners signed Jack López
Where López will conceivably offer most value is with his defensive versatility and experience, particularly in the infield, with most of his Major League action coming at second base. At the minor league level, he has spent considerable time at second base, shortstop and third base.
In reality, Lopez is unlikely to see much — if any — playing time for the Mariners this coming season, instead being assigned to Triple-A Tacoma. At the same time, it can't hurt to have as much depth as possible — particularly someone who has some Major League experience, given that the infield is the weakest area of the club.
In terms of the basics, López is listed as 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, with him batting and throwing right-handed. He is known for having solid range with his arm while also being sure-handed with the glove.
There are also a couple of family connections when it comes to the Majors, with the Puerto Rico native's father, Juan López, and uncle, Onix Concepción. López was a bullpen coach for the Giants, Cubs and Reds, while Concepción played for the Royals for six seasons and won a World Series ring in 1985.