Jeff

Marquez

Marquez gave up a run over just four innings this season for the Yankees after beginning the year in the White Sox organization. Once a pretty decent prospect, the 27-year-old has failed to produce as he moved up the ladder, holding a 5.06 ERA over 366 Triple-A innings. He’ll likely compete for a roster spot as a long man out of the bullpen.

The 28-year-old right-hander was released from the Mariners’ minor league system after posting a 5.23 ERA and 51/43 K/BB ratio in 82-plus innings at Triple-A Tacoma. He’ll act as organizational depth for the Rox.

Marquez is coming off a woeful 2012 campaign, having posted a 6.69 ERA over 79 1/3 Triple-A innings for the Mariners and Rockies. He’s merely organization depth.

That even though he gave up a season-high nine hits. Marquez, 22, has a 2.43 ERA in 10 starts. He’s struck out only 34 in 59 1/3 innings, but he gets an above average number of groundballs and he gives up few homers (just two so far this year). He’s another solid pitching prospect in a system that’s pretty deep with them.

Marquez wasn’t forced to miss any time after coming out of his last start with a strained hamstring. Still, it’s highly unlikely that he’ll make the White Sox.

It should have been Egbert, not Marquez, who was on the fringes of the rotation race all along. Egbert, though, did impress as a reliever, amassing a 2.35 ERA in 15 1/3 innings, and he might get a look out of the bullpen during the first half of the season. Marquez had a 5.87 ERA in his 15 1/3 innings. Williams, who entered camp as one of the longest shots to make the team, ended up with a 1.35 ERA in 13 1/3 innings, so he could be looking at a quick callup if he keeps it going in Triple-A.

It’s nice to see Marquez go to a team that might give him an opportunity, but he looked like more of a prospect a couple of years ago. After going 15-9 with a 3.65 ERA for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2007, he fell off to 6-7 with a 4.69 ERA in 14 starts there last season. His strikeout rate has gone from mediocre to bad, though he does get an above average number of grounders. He might have some success as a middle reliever.

Marquez was up with the big club for a few days but didn’t appear in a game. He was designated for assignment before the season began and cleared waivers, so it stands to reason that he should be able to do so again.

Marquez, acquired from the Yankees in the Nick Swisher deal, was considered a dark horse candidate for the White Sox’s fifth-starter role.

The right-handed Marquez spent only two days in the major leagues. He will return to a 7-4 record, 4.02 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 17 starts at Charlotte.