SEATTLE – The Mariners made another trade on Wednesday, acquiring catcher Blake Hunt from the Orioles in exchange for cash considerations.
To make room on the 40-man roster, which is currently full, infielder/outfielder Samad Taylor was designated for assignment. The Mariners now have seven days to trade, release, or send Taylor to the Minors.
Trade Details:
- Mariners receive: C Blake Hunt
- Orioles receive: Cash considerations
Hunt, 26, might sound familiar. He was part of the Mariners’ organization last year before being traded to Baltimore on May 22 in a deal that brought reliever Mike Baumann and Minor League catcher Michael Pérez to Seattle. Hunt was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Monday. He initially joined the Mariners in November 2023 after a trade with Tampa Bay for Minor League catcher Tatem Levins.
A former second-round Draft pick by the Padres in 2017, Hunt was once considered a promising prospect. However, his stock has declined, and he’s now older than many Minor Leaguers still waiting for their MLB debut.
The Mariners clearly valued his performance during his previous time with them, which included Spring Training and 24 games at Triple-A Tacoma, where he posted a .293/.372/.533 line with four homers and 20 RBIs. His stint with the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate was less successful, as he hit .179/.219/.278 over 42 games.
Seattle continues to seek depth at the catcher position. Cal Raleigh serves as the primary catcher, with veteran Mitch Garver as his backup. Prospect Harry Ford is in the pipeline but hasn’t yet reached Triple-A. Nick Raposo, who was claimed off waivers earlier this offseason, was also part of the mix, but he was DFA’d on Tuesday when the Mariners acquired infielder Miles Mastrobuoni from the Cubs.
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