Seattle Mariners have acquired minor league infielder Jake Scheiner in exchange for outfielder Jay Bruce and cash considerations. Scheiner will report to High-A Modesto, the Mariners affiliate in the California League.
With today’s transactions, the Mariners Major League, 40-man, roster is now at 38 players.
Scheiner, 23, is hitting .256 (40×156) with 7 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs and 19 RBI in 44 games at High A Clearwater in the Florida State League. After hitting .237 in 21 April games, he hit .275 (22×80) in 23 May games. Scheiner is hitting .306 (22×72) in 20 home games this season, compared to .214 (18×84) in 24 road games.
Scheiner was the Phillies 4th round selection in the 2017 Major League first year player draft out of the University of Houston. He began his pro career with Williamsport in the New York Penn League that year, and advanced to Lakewood in the South Atlantic League in 2018. Last season, his first full professional season, he hit .296 (.134×453) with 30 doubles, 5 triples, 13 home runs and 67 RBI in 122 games, with a .372 on-base percentage and a .470 slugging mark. Scheiner led the SAL in on-base percentage, was 2nd in average, 4th in hits, OPS (.842) and total bases (213), 7th in doubles and slugging and T7th in walks (49). He played 1st base (30 G), 3rd base (59 G) and left field (26 G). He was named a mid-season and post-season South Atlantic League All-Star.
Bruce, 32, has 11 doubles and 14 home runs this season, giving him 301 career doubles and 300 career home runs. He is one of only eight active Major League players with at least 300 doubles and 300 home runs (also: Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Robinson Canó, Curtis Granderson, Edwin Encarnación, Ryan Braun and Nelson Cruz). Overall this season, Bruce has hit .212 (35×165) with 11 doubles, 14 home runs and 28 RBI in 47 games. He has walked 16 times but struck out 53 times. Bruce was acquired by Seattle from the New York Mets (with OF Jarred Kelenic, RHP Justin Dunn, RHP Gerson Bautista and RHP Anthony Swarzak) on Dec. 3, 2018.
Bruce – a 3-time All-Star (2011-12, ’16) and a 2-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2012-13) – is 1 of 9 players with at least 9 seasons of 20-plus homers since 2008. The native of Beaumont, TX, has appeared in parts of 12 Major League seasons with Cincinnati (2008-16) New York-NL (2016-17, ’18), Cleveland (2017) and Seattle (2019), combining to bat .246 (1400×5689) with 809 runs, 301 doubles, 300 home runs, 903 RBI, 585 walks, a .317 on-base percentage and a .468 slugging mark (.785 OPS) in 1,557 career games.
