Mariners Release Sean Poppen

The Mariners released right-handed pitcher Sean Poppen today, according to his player page on MLB.com (h/t to Tacoma Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto). Poppen, 30, signed a minor league deal with the club in January.

The Twins selected Poppen out of Harvard in the 19th round of the 2016 draft. Though he was never a highly-regarded prospect, the righty rose through the ranks of Minnesota’s system, succeeding at every step along the way. He put up a 2.97 ERA in eight games of Rookie ball, a 2.77 ERA in 18 games at Low-A, a 3.15 ERA in 19 games at High-A, a 3.96 ERA in 26 games at Double-A, and a 1.55 ERA in five games at Triple-A before he was first called up to join the Twins in 2019. He bounced back and forth between the majors and Triple-A over the next four seasons, while he also bounced from the Twins to the Pirates to the Rays to the Diamondbacks. In a total of 63 MLB appearances from 2019-22, he pitched to a 5.08 ERA and 4.12 SIERA, earning three wins, one save, and six holds.

Following the 2022 season, the Padres claimed Poppen from the D-backs. Out of minor league options, he was soon designated for assignment and sent outright to Triple-A El Paso, where he spent the 2023 campaign. Over 58 1/3 innings, he posted an ugly 6.33 ERA and a poor 1.70 K/BB, his worst in any season at any level. He elected free agency in November.

Although Poppen received a spring training invite from the Mariners this year, his time with Seattle would turn out to be short. He pitched well in five outings this spring, striking out eight and walking just one in 5 2/3 innings of work. Unfortunately, he didn’t look nearly as sharp in his Triple-A debut with the Tacoma Rainiers, giving up two walks, two homers, and four earned runs over two frames in a 7-9 loss to the Oklahoma City Baseball Club. While he performed much better in his second appearance, retiring all four Salt Lake Bees batters he faced, it wasn’t enough to save his job in the Mariners organization. Poppen is now a free agent.