The Mariners announced that they’ve acquired left-hander James Pazos from the Yankees in exchange for minor league right-hander Zack Littell. Additionally, Seattle has designated veteran righty Tom Wilhelmsen for assignment and added lefty Paul Fry, corner infielder D.J. Peterson and right-hander Thyago Vieira to the 40-man roster.
Pazos, 25, has just 8 1/3 innings under his belt at the Major League level but has an impressive minor league track record. In 215 1/3 total innings in the minors, Pazos has a 2.30 ERA with 10.2 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9, and he’s worked to a minuscule 1.79 ERA with 78 punchouts in 60 1/3 innings at Triple-A. However, he’s also walked 34 batters in that time at Triple-A, indicating that his control could use some further refinement. Nonetheless, the Mariners are known to be looking for left-handed relief help, and Pazos will give GM Jerry Dipoto and manager Scott Servais an option that could conceivably break camp with the team in 2017 and, at the very least, should be an option later in the season.
Wilhelmsen, 33 next month, was traded from Seattle to Texas in last winter’s Leonys Martin deal but was rocked with the Rangers (10.55 ERA in 21 1/3 innings) and ultimately released in June. He quickly re-signed with Seattle and enjoyed a 180-degree turnaround, pitching to a 3.60 ERA with 6.1 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 and a 52.8 percent ground-ball rate in 25 innings to close out the season. However, the Mariners would’ve had to pay him a projected $3.8MM in his final trip through arbitration this winter.
Did not realize Wilhelmsen had such an awful year (awful with Texas but he did decent with Seattle)
I’d take him. He’ll get a cpl million and legit 7-8th inning guys who still can bring it.
Much like Farguhar. One of those Mariners who should produce.
Any Yankee fans know anything about Pazos? Sorry I am not sure about Littell.
Another interesting set of moves by Dipoto.
He was the best closer in the minor league farm.
Not great command. Walks a lot of guys. But he strikes out a lot of batters too and he does well against LHB.
Here was a scouting report on him back in May
https://www.google.com/amp/www.minorleagueball.com/platform/amp/2016/5/18/11701264/mlb-rookie-report-james-pazos-lhp-new-york-yankees
He’s about 25/26/27 years old and a career minor league. Was a sept call up this year didn’t pitch all that effective. Sorry, That’s all I know about him
Real Pazos response: low 3/4 deliver, kinda whips it in there. Has a lively fastball in the mid to low 90s. Slider is his second pitch; don’t remember him throwing a third pitch. When he hits the outside corner against lefties with the fastball he is a very tough at bat.
Isn’t that true of any pitcher? lol
Littell was thought of as a high riser after a very solid season breezing thru A ball and A+ and grinding out a bunch of innings having just turned 21. Wouldve probably snuck into some preseason top 10 prospect rankings. Not too fond of giving him up unless this lefty is a bullpen stalwart for a few years
It looks like a steal for the Yankees.
Really? I thought it was a steal for the Mariners
Doesn’t look like a Steal for either team.