Mariners catcher Mike Marjama has retired from Major League Baseball. Greg Johns of MLB.com reports that Marjama informed the team of his decision on Friday and will accept a new position with the National Eating Disorders Association.
The 28-year-old catcher had but a few cups of coffee in the majors over the course of his eight-year career. He was acquired by the Mariners in a multi-player swap with the Rays last August and made his MLB debut shortly thereafter, finishing the year 3-for-9 with two extra-base hits. He stayed the course as one of several backups for Mike Zunino when the 2018 season rolled around, but was demoted to Triple-A Tacoma by the end of April and slashed .247/.302/.424 with five homers and a .726 OPS before hanging up his cleats for good.
Even taking Zunino’s recent injury and offensive woes into account, Marjama’s path to a full-time role in the majors was blocked by the slightly hotter bats and defensive skills of fellow backup backstops Chris Herrmann and David Freitas. He’ll finish his brief career in the majors with a .167/.211/.361 batting line, one home run, and a .572 OPS through 38 plate appearances. His decision, says Johns, was made for both philanthropic and personal reasons, as he struggled to overcome eating disorders in high school and is looking to make a positive change in the lives of those who might be struggling with the same issues.
