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Mariners designate Leonys Martin for assignment

Rick Scuteri / Reuters

In a somewhat surprising move, outfielder Leonys Martin has been designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners, the team confirmed to reporters prior to Sunday's game against the Oakland Athletics.

Martin was off to a horrendous start to the 2017 season, slashing .111/.172/.130 over his first 15 games. While it's a small sample size, Martin has been the fourth-worst hitter with at least 50 plate appearances this season.

Traditionally known for his defensive acumen, Martin was signed to a $4.8-million deal this past offseason, avoiding arbitration with the Mariners. The speedy center fielder was out of options though, and had lost his starting role to Jarrod Dyson and partially to the hot start of Mitch Haniger.

The Martin DFA, along with the demotion of reliever Chase De Jong, made room for the Mariners to promote right-handed pitcher Chris Heston as well as first-base prospect Dan Vogelbach.

Heston was acquired via trade from the San Francisco Giants in the offseason. After an impressive breakout campaign in the first half of 2015, the 29-year-old right-hander backslid substantially and will serve out of the bullpen - though, with Triple-A Tacoma this year, Heston made three starts so he is stretched out as a swing man.

Coming into 2017, Vogelbach was ranked the 10th-best prospect in the Mariners' system according to Baseball America. Vogelbach was acquired from the Chicago Cubs prior to the 2016 trade deadline.

Looking to make a push for the World Series - which they eventually won - and boasting a deep farm system, the Cubs sent Vogelbach to the Mariners in exchange for left-hander Mike Montgomery. The slugging Vogelbach is likely being called up at the expense of the struggling Danny Valencia.

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