Zunino unlikely to start season in Seattle

SEATTLE – With the Mariners’ two new catchers, Chris Iannetta and Steve Clevenger, in town to take part Saturday and Sunday in the club’s annual FanFest, it begs the question:

What is Mike Zunino’s status with the organization?

Zunino, still just 24, spent much of the last two-plus seasons as the Mariners’ starting catcher before his continuing struggles at the plate prompted a demotion last August to Triple-A Tacoma.

“We’ve been very open,” general manager Jerry Dipoto said. “Chris Iannetta is going to be the (starting) catcher if all is right and he is healthy, but Mike comes in and we’re not holding him back from accomplishing whatever he can accomplish.

“Our goal is that we have the opportunity to start him in Tacoma and watch his season develop. Mike went to the big leagues awfully quickly. To get to the big leagues in under 1,000 plate appearances is a quick journey.

“To do it in under 500 is a very quick journey.”

Zunino had just 319 minor-league plate appearances before he made his big-league debut barely a year after the Mariners selected him with the third overall pick in the 2012 draft.

And it showed.

While he flashed encouraging catch-and-throw skills, Zunino batted just .193 in 295 games before the Mariners finally decided he required further development in the minors.

Club officials underscored their decision by choosing not to recall him last September when the rosters expanded.

And now?

Barring an injury, it’s hard to see how Zunino breaks camp this April with the big-league club because Clevenger is out of options and offers a left-handed complement to a right-handed Iannetta.

“This season is going to be about what’s best in the career development of Mike Zunino,” Dipoto said, “and we’re going to make sure that that happens.

“If Mike needs two months, if he needs four months, if he needs a season of Triple-A to cultivate the offensive approach that we saw while he was at the University of Florida…we know it’s in there.”

The point man for rebuilding Zunino is Andy McKay, the club’s new director of player development. McKay comes to the Mariners as a big believer in the importance of nurturing a player’s mental skills.

“I have talked with Mike,” McKay said, “but in terms of really creating a plan, it would not be in place until we’ve all been there and seen it with our own eyes (in spring training) between myself and Jerry and (manager) Scott (Servais).

“We’re all new to him, but I don’t think we’re new to that situation. What I can tell you is we still believe in him 100 percent. We believe in the talent, and we believe in the person.

“He’s not the first person to go through something like this. He will get back to where he needs to be. He’s just at the first chapter of writing his book.”

Dipoto insisted Zunino’s problems aren’t a lack of ability.

“Like with most other things in baseball,” Dipoto said, “the mental (approach) is probably significantly on the scale of value than the physical. Players don’t forget how to play. They don’t forget how to swing a bat.

“Most difficulties you’re going to have on the field are almost never about the mechanical flaw. We say, ‘I detect a flaw. That’s great, but it’s usually something that’s going on in your head.”