Seattle Signs 3rd Catcher Wilkins Will Battle Marzano To Back Up Wilson; Mariners Also Close To Signing Utility Infielder

The Seattle Mariners have signed catcher Rick Wilkins to a one-year contract.

Wilkins, 30, who will receive $425,000 in salary, and can earn up to $175,000 in performance bonuses, is a seven-year major-league veteran. He played in five games with Seattle at the end of last season. He began the year with San Francisco, playing in 66 games.

Wilkins is a career .246 hitter with 78 home runs and 257 RBIs in 672 games.

“As a left-handed hitter, he could give us a more viable way to rest Danny Wilson,” said Lee Pelekoudas, Mariners assistant general manager. “But going into camp, he and John Marzano will compete for the backup catching spot.”

The Mariners said they are also close to signing Pat Listach to fill an open infield backup position. Listach was in Houston’s opening-day lineup at shortstop last season. He hit in five of the first six games, but was released June 30 after falling into a deep slump.

Also Monday, the Mariners released infielder Brent Gates and outfielder Lee Tinsley.

Seattle also selected infielder-outfielder Jeff Huson off Colorado’s Triple A roster in the Major League Rule 5 draft. Huson, 37, is a lifetime .236 hitter who plays every infield position as well as outfield.

Seattle selected four in the Minor League Rule 5 draft: outfielders Jason Bass of Detroit and Antone French of Toronto, and infielders Todd Wilson of San Francisco and Richard Hills of San Diego.

The M’s lost minor-league pitchers Brett Newell to Kansas City and Sean Whiteside to the New York Yankees.