The Seattle Mariners have selected the contract of catcher Brian O’Keefe from Triple-A Tacoma, reports Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). In a corresponding move, M’s catcher Curt Casali has been placed on the paternity list.
This will be the first major league action for O’Keefe, age 29, who was drafted in the seventh round by the Cardinals in 2014. After spending five seasons in St. Louis’s system, O’Keefe was picked by Seattle in the 2019 Rule 5 minor league draft. He spent two years in the Mariners farm system before electing free agency at the conclusion of the 2021 season, where he eventually agreed to stay with the M’s on a minor league deal. With Casali out of action for at least 24, but no more than 72 hours, O’Keefe will join the big league club for the first time in his nine seasons as a pro.
O’Keefe has spent all of his 2022 campaign at Triple-A Tacoma, where he has had one of his finest minor league seasons. Thus far, he has hit 13 home runs and posted a productive .253/.330/.449 slash in 352 plate appearances. More than seventy-five percent of O’Keefe’s 2022 appearances for Tacoma have been at catcher, where Baseball Prospectus rates him as an excellent framer, with the rest coming as a designated hitter.
Casali is all but assured to rejoin the Mariners as soon as his time on the paternity list ends. If Seattle is going to keep O’Keefe on the active roster beyond Casali’s return, they will have to make room for him. The M’s 40-man roster is currently full, and the only obvious 60-day IL candidate is lefty reliever Ryan Borucki, who has already been out since August 8th.
Another Day another Dipoto roster move Yawn.
Every good Irish boy deserves a chance.
Magic number is 1!
Is T-Mobile sold out tonight.
Yup!
I hope the O’s win tonight. I want Seattle win their spot into the postseason, not for it to just be announced mid game if the O’s lose.
Same. I was in a bar before the game yestersy and when the Rays lost the cheers were definitely there, but for us, I want it to be at the end of the game when we win at home tonight.
bobgg88, you got your wish!
Couldn’t have ended any better
Grandson of Keefe, not lowly Keith
Cousin of Chief Keef
It’s just human nature to look at yourself first in any group photo and if you don’t like the way you look, you delete it.
@SliderWithCheese. Speak for yourself.
Vanity. All is vanity.
The more Casalis the merrier, I guess.
I hope this O’Keefe can impress somebody while he is here, short though the time will be.
Casali wasn’t hitting much, maybe O’Keefe can finally replace him..
Our Mariners team has done the best it can, and I suppose it will be all settled with the Magic Number 1 tonight.
Okeefe I don’t believe can play in postseason so his time will be short lived. I hope after they clinch they sit Cal for a few games. Let that thumb heal. Catchers are beasts imagine catching a 103 mph fast ball from Munoz. Even in the web that has to hurt. Dave Valle said on pregame you get used to it after awhile. First time is tough then you see you can do it and suffer through it later in your career.