Former Gonzaga standout Tyler Olson emerges as this year’s surprise in Mariners’ camp
PEORIA, Ariz. – Every camp seems to a produce a Cinderella in March and, among the Mariners, lefty Tyler Olson is first in line to see whether the slipper fits.
Olson, at 25, is in camp as a nonroster invite less than two years after his selection in the seventh round of the 2013 draft following a standout collegiate career at Gonzaga.
He is also a starting pitcher whose pro numbers, while solid, are hardly eye-popping. Yet, as the Mariners move through the midpoint of camp, Olson is emerging as a leading candidate to win a bullpen job.
“I’m just trying to do what I can right now,” Olson said, “to show the people who need to see what I’ve got that I can go out there and do what I need to do to make a squad.”
Olson faced nine batters in his two outings. He retired all nine, five by strikeout. He fanned the side Monday in his only inning against Cleveland – three regulars: Jason Kipnis, Yan Gomes and Michael Brantley.
“He’s pitched well,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “I like what I see, but it’s a long spring. He’ll continue to pitch. He’s competing just like the rest of those guys.”
The search for Joe Beimel’s replacement as the bullpen’s second lefty, alongside Charlie Furbush, is the most wide-open competition in camp.
The Mariners entered the offseason with Lucas Luetge on their 40-man roster and soon began adding candidates. They claimed Edgar Olmos from Miami and selected David Rollins from Houston in the Rule 5 Draft.
Two veteran additions arrived in February on minor-league deals: Rafael Perez and Joe Saunders. That came shortly after the Mariners chose to include Olson among their minor-league invites.
“He has a really good change-up,” farm director Chris Gwynn said, “and he changes eye location. He knows what he’s doing.”
Olson was a combined 12-8 with a 3.46 ERA last season in 27 starts at High-A High Desert and Double-A Jackson. His 12 victories were the most among the organization’s minor-league players.
Even so, his roster chances, as camp opened, were thinner than slim.
“I’m just trying to learn,” he said. “I’ve been watching everyone as much as I can in bullpens to see what they’re focusing on, how they execute and how they go about their business.
“I’m just trying to mimic what they’re doing.”
Olson’s next scheduled appearance is today against the A’s in Mesa.
“I’m just going out there and trying to compete,” he said. “Not trying to do too much. Things are going well right now.”
Rockies 4, Mariners 1
The facts: Ryan Casteel broke a 1-all tie with an RBI double to deep center in the ninth inning after the Mariners opened the door with two infield misplays. The Rockies added two more runs.
Those defensive breakdowns came after the Mariners wasted Stefen Romero’s leadoff triple in the eighth inning.
The Mariners (4-5) were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
For all that, Mariners lefty Danny Hultzen provided the day’s highlight by pitching one scoreless inning in his first game appearance since Sept. 1, 2013.
Hultzen was the second overall pick in the 2011 draft and advanced to Triple-A Tacoma in 2013 before suffering a shoulder injury that required major surgery.
Play(s) of the game: The Mariners threw the game away in the ninth inning. First, second baseman Shawn O’Malley threw widely to first on a routine leadoff grounder by Mike Tauchman.
Lucas Luetge then had Tauchman picked off, but first baseman D.J. Peterson made an off-line throw to second. The result was a stolen base.
A sacrifice moved Tauchman to third before Luetge surrendered Casteel’s RBI double, Will Spanner’s RBI single and Kyle Parker’s RBI double.
Plus: Reliever Tom Wilhelmsen made his spring debut by recording three groundouts in the sixth. … Kyle Seager hit his first spring homer, a two-out drive in the third that erased a 1-0 deficit. … Reliever Yoervis Medina pitched a clean seventh inning and has not allowed a run in 3 2/3 innings over three outings. … Lefty Furbush had a 1-2-3 eighth after allowing three runs and four hits in two innings in two previous outings.
Minus: Start with that big wasted opportunity in the eighth inning and add the defensive goofs in the ninth. … Fernando Rodney pitched a scoreless fifth inning but had to work around two walks to do it. It didn’t stop him from performing his arrow-shoot pantomime, to cheers, as he neared the dugout.
Job battles: Shortstop candidates Brad Miller and Chris Taylor teamed again up the middle because of Robinson Cano’s ongoing absence to attend his grandfather’s funeral in the Dominican Republic. Miller went 0 for 3, while Taylor was 0 for 2 with a walk.
Quotable: “I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” Hultzen said. “It’s been a really long road. To be able to come back and pitch again is incredible. There were times when I doubted that I could ever come back again. I’m through that now. I’m really happy I can play baseball again.”
Extra innings: Left fielder Rickie Weeks left the game after four innings because of what he characterized as minor tightness in his hamstring. … Scouts from several clubs were on hand to watch Erasmo Ramirez, who gave up one run – a Tulowitzki homer – in three innings. Ramirez is out of options but is viewed as a long shot to make the roster.
Up next: The Mariners make their longest trip of the spring today in a 45-mile trip to Mesa to play Oakland at the Cubs’ former home of HoHoKam Stadium. The game starts at 12:05 p.m.
Right-hander Jordan Pries will start for the Mariners. Oakland plans to start lefty Scott Kazmir.