Seattle Mariners Sign Former Fifth-Round Pick to Minor League Deal
The Seattle Mariners will have to wait until the day after the World Series ends to officially start its free agency. And although fans will likely be holding their breath to see what the club does to improve its major league club, the minor league affiliates have also been shifting.
On Oct. 15, the Mariners took an opportunity to add to its Triple-A club the Tacoma Rainiers.
Seattle signed 2018 fifth-round pick and former Nick Dunn to a minor league deal and immediately assigned him to the team's Triple-A affiliate on the same day.
Dunn is listed as a third baseman on his MiLB.com profile page but has also played second base in his career.
Dunn, a former University of Maryland infielder and First-Team All-Big Ten selection, has spent every single year of his career in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system, the same team that drafted him.
Despite being selected in the first five rounds in the draft, Dunn saw a slow climb in the Cardinals' organization. He didn't make it to Triple-A until the second half of 2023.
Dunn played all of 2024 with St. Louis' Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. He batted .316 in 98 games with eight home runs and 42 RBIs. Dunn split time as a second baseman, third baseman and designated hitter with the Redbirds. He committed eight errors in 170 total chances (.953 fielding). He was released by Memphis on Sept. 26.
Nick Dunn! RBI! More runs! pic.twitter.com/z4jU37aD16
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 8, 2024
Dunn's signing likely doesn't mean much for the major league club. Tacoma will likely need a few roster spots depending on what happens with some fringe major league players like Leo Rivas, Dominic Canzone and Ryan Bliss and other players like Jason Vosler electing free agency.
But his positions are still intriguing. The Mariners need a second baseman and a third baseman. Dunn plays both.
It's unlikely he'll get an extended look, or if he'll even get an invite to spring training.
But if he does, it'll be interesting how much of a look he gets. If he does at all.
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