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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — While the executives were still arriving for the annual GM meetings at the Omni resort, the Mariners made the first trade of the short set of meetings.
MLB sources confirmed that the Mariners were acquiring catcher Blake Hunt from the Rays in exchange for minor league catcher Tatem Levins.
Hunt, who turns 25 on Nov. 10, will be added to the Mariners 40-man roster and compete for the backup spot to catcher Cal Raleigh with Tom Murphy becoming a free agent.
The Mariners could still re-sign Murphy and have an exclusive window to negotiate with him for the next few days. They would prefer to add another catcher with MLB experience to serve as Raleigh’s backup and allow Hunt to get some time with Triple-A Tacoma.
Hunt was a second-round pick (No. 69) overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft out of famed Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, California. He split time between the Rays’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, playing in a total of 67 games. He posted a .256/.331/.518 slash line with 20 doubles, 12 homers, 41 RBI, 22 walks and 61 strikeouts.
Hunt was part of the prospect package that the Padres sent to the Rays in exchange for pitcher Blake Snell before the 2021 season.
Levins, 24, was an eighth-round pick in the 2022 MLB draft out of the University of Pittsburgh.
In 66 games with High-A Modesto this past season, he posted a .286/.358/.476 slash line with 1 doubles, a triple, nine homers, 55 RBI, 29 walks and 57 strikeouts.
This story will be updated
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