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Mariners make trade with Rays for 6-foot-5 righty who throws 97 MPH
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- Mariners make trade with Rays for 6-foot-5 righty who throws 97 MPH
Mariners make trade with Rays for 6-foot-5 righty who throws 97 MPH originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Seattle Mariners made an under-the-radar trade on Wednesday for a 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher who can touch 97 miles per hour with his sinker.
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The newest member of the Mariners organization is Cole Wilcox .
The Mariners announced the trade, sending cash considerations to the Tampa Bay Rays . They've added Wilcox to their 40-man roster.
Wilcox is 26 years old and made his MLB debut in 2025. He got just one outing for the Rays, giving up three runs in that lone frame.
He was much better at Triple-A Durham in 2025. At that level, he had a 3.71 ERA in 34 appearances while striking out 57 batters in 51 innings.
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Wilcox is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, but by high school, he was in Georgia. He was drafted out of high school by the Washington Nationals in the 37th round but didn't sound.
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Instead, Wilcox honored his commitment to the Georgia Bulldogs. He was then picked out of UGA by the San Diego Padres in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft.
The Padres traded him six months after drafting him as one of the pieces that went to the Rays in exchange for Blake Snell .
Wilcox will get a chance to make the Mariners roster in spring training, given that he has already been placed on the 40-man.
His limited MLB experience will work against him, but Wilcox has grinded through the minors and been pretty successful at each rung along the ladder. He may still have a big league future, and the Mariners are showing some belief in him by seeking him out.
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