Browse entire “40-man, Player by Player” series here.
Previous entry: Ricky Orta.  Next up, Ryan Rowland-Smith.

Edward Paredes is another guy that was added to the 40-man roster this offseason in order to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft pool.  The 23 year old Paredes has only pitched 6 games above A-ball, but could have the skills required to help a big league club sooner than later in a niche role, not unlike Jose Lugo, one of Seattle’s rule 5 picks from last year who almost made the team.

Paredes has shown the ability to get lefties out with a high 80s/low 90s heater and a good two plane slider.  Last season, his first since moving to the bullpen, he had a K/9 of 12.58 and a batting average against of .232 versus lefties in the hitter friendly California League.

If he can continue to get lefties out and tighten up his control as he rises up the organizational ladder his career is made.  The Mariners had been starting him in 2007 and 2008, but he just didn’t have the tools needed to get righties out consistently.  The horizontal movement on his slider makes it a weapon against lefties, but is hittable from the other side of the plate, and he hasn’t been able to develop his changeup.  Now that he’s in the ‘pen he has a chance to be a quick riser and provide the Mariners with something that would be awfully useful– a true LOOGY.

(That said, if he wants to make it in a Don Wakamatsu bullpen he may have to keep working on that changeup.)