April 15: The Mariners formally announced Monday that they’ve recalled Clase for his MLB debut. Canzone indeed was placed on the injured list with a sprained AC joint.
April 14: The Mariners will be calling up outfield prospect Jonatan Clase, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel (X link). It seems like Clase will replace Dominic Canzone on the active roster, as Canzone suffered a left AC joint sprain in today’s game and will surely be placed on the 10-day injured list. No further roster move will need to be made since Clase is already on Seattle’s 40-man.
Clase’s first appearance in a game will mark his official MLB debut, and the highlight of a pro career that began as an international signing in 2018. Over 1483 plate appearances in the minors, Clase has hit .263/.376/.457 with 39 homers and 183 stolen bases (out of 221 attempts). Those numbers include a .308/.404/.641 slash line in 47 PA for Triple-A Tacoma this season, which marked Clase’s first taste of Triple-A ball.
The combination of this hot start and Canzone’s injury have now punched Clase’s ticket to the Show, though questions remain about his all-around readiness. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline each rank Clase as the tenth-best prospect in the Mariners’ farm system based on his incredible 70-grade speed and impressive overall set of tools, but as BA’s scouting report notes, “he is an aggressive and energetic player, who alternately excites and frustrates.”
Clase (who turns 22 next month) has struck out in 25.55% of his career minor league plate appearances, making him a bit of a three-true-outcomes style of player given that he draws a fair share of walks and has some good raw power. At only 5’9″ and 150 pounds, Clase doesn’t fit the usual physical model for a power hitter, so if the power doesn’t translate against Major League pitching, Clase will need to improve his contact to better maximize his speed. As MLB Pipeline’s report puts it, “maintaining a sound approach and not selling out for power and getting away from his best abilities will also be vital.”
Clase became a switch-hitter in 2022 and his career splits are generally pretty even, though his numbers are a lot better as a left-handed batter in his small sample of Triple-A at-bats. This could indicate that he’ll slide into Canzone’s role as the left-handed hitting side of a left field platoon with righty-swinging Dylan Moore. Clase doesn’t have a great throwing arm so he has played only left and center field, and his glovework is considered solid enough to handle some center at the big league level.
Quicker he is up, quicker he will be a dodger
OK fine, straight up for Mookie youve got a deal
Welcome to the show.
I love calling him up here, dude has shown improvement and must be pumped right now to dominate triple A and get called up. Mariners could use more speed because our only speedster is j-rod (thanks to trading Kelenic and caballero)
Where is Haggerty?
He’s out with an undisclosed (personal) health issue.
Did he have a run in with his mob boss? maybe that intrduction music they play when he comes up to bat?
“Glovework”? More like leg work.
I thought he was a better prospect than they make him to be on here. Hope he takes off.
Here’s hoping he does well! Tough break for Dom, heal fast!
So not a great arm but he plays CF? That doesn’t make sense. Hope he adds some punch to the punch less offense.
His speed plays into his fielding ability.
Only MiLB in History* to post a 20 HR and 79 SB season last year, as a 20 yr old which included playing in one of THE worst Hitters Parks (Dickey-Stephens Park, Little Rock AK) in all of the Minors……and MLBTR chooses not to write this for his debut article? Did I miss something?
This kid has had to work his A$$ off to get to where he is, he has been overlooked and counted out for yrs due to his undersized frame. He signed for just $35,000 at 16 yrs old. Up until last year I don’t think a single person in MiLB thought he could hit more than 5 HRs. In 2023 He hit 20 HRs including 13 at a park that has one of THE lowest HR totals across MiLB. And Stole 79 Bags!
This year He started out HOT in (frigid) AAA Tacoma this season. It’s a SSS obviously but Clase posted a 1.131 OPS inc a .742 Slg% in AAA Tacoma where It’s 40*- 50* at most in Cheney Stadium in Early April so that is a hard thing to do for a power hitting 1B nevermind coming from a 5’9” 190lb Speed first OFer.
The M’s need this guy right now and I hope he can continue to make people like me, sit up and take notice of him.
We just hope Canzone is fine again in a few days.
Wonder if we’ll get a look at Clase? The Mariners need some kind of spark to get rid of the snake-bitten condition in the clubhouse and start a good winning streak.
Clase is way bigger than 150lbs as he has added easily 25lbs of muscle as he’s matured.
It is pretty neat with Baseball Reference that they ‘almost’ never update the rookie weigh in weights. Sammy Sosa is still listed at 175lbs I think the same goes for Juan Gonzalez. The only noticeable change I’ve seen was for Bartolo Colon who was I believe 185 as a rookie. That speaks to Barolo just being a large man cursed with 30” legs – 185 lbs at 21 years old back then was still pretty big.
Canzone total unawareness of the wall, what? Too bad he was hitting the ball well, though the rest of the team is not playing worth a crap. Pitching, hitting defense, Castillo a four game loser? Kirby getting lite up What’s going on? I use to like watching ⚾ I’m going to make a suggestion, Instead of playing all these rookies during spring training, how about concentrating on getting the starters in playing shape. Every year the same stuff does that not suggest something? How about having the starters playing all the rookies instead of blending them all together. something, anything?
Castillo had his best start of the year yesterday. He’ll be fine. Offense on the other hand… well, hopefully Clase gives them a little spark.
The M’s just pitched their 7 straight Quality Start today. Take a breath.
I don’t understand how every single year so many people forget that baseball is played practically every day for six months. It seems like each year ML Pitching keeps getting better and each year hitters continue to catch up. That’s baseball. An incredibly hard game
Paging AJ Pollock as a depth Free Agent pickup. Last outfielder out there with experience and some pop.
Are you really suggesting the M’s give Pollock another shot? After the mess that was 2023? They’re better off calling Samad Taylor or Cade Marlowe back up.
With such limited success in the upper-minors, and especially AAA, this move screams of desperation.
I really hope it works and doesn’t screw up his development.
If playoffs were the goal, a Tommy Pham signing should have come in the Emerald City, not south side Windy…
Nope!