The Mariners have signed outfielder Delino DeShields to a minor league deal, according to the team’s official transactions page. DeShields last played in the big leagues in 2021, as a member of the Reds.
Seattle becomes the eighth different MLB organization of DeShields’ career, though he has seen official game action with only three of them, playing with Texas from 2015-19, Cleveland in 2020, and then Cincinnati in 2021. The outfielder was also briefly a member of the Red Sox in between stints with the Rangers and Reds in 2021, and he signed minor league contracts with the Marlins and Braves in 2022. DeShields spent the 2022 campaign with Triple-A Gwinnett, hitting .220/.367/.264 over 426 PA for Atlanta’s top affiliate.
While DeShields has rarely contributed much with his bat, his speed and defense has consistently earned him looks from teams in need of outfield depth. Taylor Trammell and utilityman Dylan Moore will both start the season on the Mariners’ injured list, so the M’s might see DeShields as a bit of extra experience to have on hand in camp, along with fellow veteran minor league signings Kole Calhoun and Leonys Martin. Julio Rodriguez, Teoscar Hernandez, AJ Pollock, and Jarred Kelenic are projected as Seattle’s regular outfielders, with Pollock and Kelenic slated to split duties in left field.
Just wondering why?
I hope it’s Jr
People around here say that there is no such thing as a bad minor league deal. If it was Sr., I think that would qualify as a bad minor league deal.
Old man strength. Seaford’s Finest.
Gotta be Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps. Coming from Frank Costanza and all…
One of the worst all time trades. Pedro Martinez for Delino Deshields.
I think that might be a little unfair to Delino Sr. He was not a HOFer like Pedro, but neither was Pedro when the trade happened. Delino ended up with a career WAR of 24.4, over half of it coming after the Pedro deal. It’s not like he was a massive bust or anything. He just didn’t play well in a Dodgers uniform.
How about Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio? I love it when the cubs get fleeced.
My vote for worst trade of all time from a Mets standpoint……
Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi.
I mean the Expos couldn’t afford him hecause he was headed for a pay day. So they had to trade him to someone? I wonder what other deals were on the table
Supposedly the Expos and Dodgers had discussed a trade for DeShields during the ’92 season. It was going to be a DeShields for Eric Karros swap as the Dodgers needed a 2B (Juan Samuel was the Dodgers 2B to start the season but got injured and missed more than a month, Mike Sharperson took his place and somehow made the NL All Star team) and the Expos needed a 1B (Tim Wallach was playing 1B after Andres Galarraga was traded to St.Louis the prior winter and Brett Barberie was the starting 3B. In hindsight they actually needed a 3B). Both players were struggling in may and after a few weeks of back and forth both players got hot and a deal never materialized
Dan Duquette, who was still the Expos GM at the time apparently liked Aaron Sele of the Red Sox but a deal with Boston never lined up.
History could have been vastly different for both the player’s and the team’s had Jody Reed accepted the 3 year $7.8 million dollar contract the Dodgers offered him after the ’93 season (he would sign a one year deal with the Brewers for $350k, ouch…). If Reed accepts, the Dodgers no longer require DeShields services and probably keep Pedro. Its possible Pedro never makes it to Boston and the Red Sox fortunes could have turned out much different as well.
*source: a very old article written by Tim Kurkjian in Sports Illustrated from April 1994
Solid OF depth move for Seattle.
Now, let’s see what they do about the infield.
Stevil-Solid OF depth move? Is that why no one signed him until March 19 after not playing for 2 years?
You guys and your love for everything JD does. He could sign the corpse of Babe Ruth and you’d call it a solid depth piece.
Signing a corpse is a very solid depth move. 6 feet depth in fact.
I know some guys with shovels that would disagree with you.
Good one, hiflew! You have a promising future in stand-up.
Little harsh don’t you think? Trammell would have been in AAA until he got injured. Nothing wrong with having a veteran guy who plays good defense down in Tacoma in case the injuries start to pile up. So yea it is a good depth move. I mean what else is out there?
Winslow, he played in 2021; spent 2022 in the minors. Profar and a number of other FAs haven’t signed yet, but yeah, a minor-league deal in March should be criticized relentlessly.
I’ve also been among tbe most critical of Seattle’s moves, or lack of, this offseason.
You also missed the point, which was that Seattle should be focused on the infield.
You’re 0-3. Have a nice evening.
Steve-Profar signed with the Rox today.
Brilliamt. Completely negated my point, didn’t it.
It’s not even official yet, but what’s important here is that my example reference will be short-lived.
What an evening!
He is signed to come into games as a pinch runner or defensive replacement until moore and trammel are back. Its a smart move for the first two weeks of season then he is gone. Did Jerry trade your dog?
Dude I am so old. Delino DeShields Jr is 30 years old? And he plays for us? Feels like a
parallel universe
Good guy who can run and field. No risk signing
Senior is a good coach. Junior needs to get on with his life’s work.
I had about 30 Upper Deck Rookie Cards of Delino Deshields back in the day…probably sold off my Griffey rookies in order to buy them. (And that’s why I never became a portfolio manager,) I wonder if this is a blood relation or we have another case of the two Max Muncys, unrelated but yet identical names. Truly a head scratcher, time to go do some deep digging.
Yes, 1989 in card collecting. I remember it well. Gregg Jeffries cards were the hottest and most valuable followed by Sheffield. I was quietly collecting all the Griffer cards I could, including the off-brands and food cards. Those cards bought me a Car and mountain bike in 2000.
There are two Sebastian Aho’s in the NHL too..that’s even weirder to me.
No, Stevil and other commenters notwithstanding, a player like this has his real value in camp and in the minor league scene to help guide and nurture the young guys.
This has always been true, since the beginnings of baseball. Certain ex-players make great managers and coaches – but you can only have a limited number of managers and coaches. And a lot of their value depends on personality.
Keep in mind that the Mariners, like any team, talks to a guy like DeShields and has a plan to “pick his brain” while letting him still play occasionally in the game he loves too much to quit.
That’s what makes baseball great – it’s by and for everyone.
Go Mariners! All the way in 23!
Yeah this guy truly does not move the needle anywhere. He is depth to the depth to the depth to the depth. Jerry always has a guy like this at AAA biding his time. If Mariner fans ever see him actually on the 26 man roster, or God forbid in the outfield…that will be a good indicator that our goose has been cooked.
Fred Park-Why would you think any differently
I recall a headline when his dad was a rookie. It said “Delino DeSheilds should be De Rookie of De Year.” (He finished second)
I love how a minor league depth signing can launch vitriolic attacks and turn the sight into a Pin-Head-A-Pa-Looza.!
Between the DeShields signing & the Leonys Martin signing I am mildly apoplectic. Who’s going to be next ? Felix Fermin, Henry Cotto??? Manny Mota??
BPax … I remember “the Zeal for Zeile” slogan and his cards were a hot commodity for a hot minute. I think I cashed in my Ripken Topps Traded Rookies & Bonds 86 Donruss Rookies because I had the zeal for Zeile & Marquis Grissom & Ben McDonald. Those were “can’t miss” Rookies. Now I use their cards for kindling and lining the floor of my daughter’s rabbit hutch.
I remember when Zeile cards were hot. The only player hotter at the time was Eric Anthony of the Astros. “Investing” in guys like that is why to this day I am not a fan of prospecting. Prove yourself and then I’ll pay attention.
I must be suffering a Mandala effect. I swear mariners signed him to a minors contract right around 2020 also but cut him later? so weird.
.220/.367/.264 is so Dipoto it might as well be his locker combo.
Rainer’s all the way in 23.
De Rookie of De Year