Most professional baseball players, coaches and executives will say how baseball is a year-round sport.

Even when teams teams miss out on the playoffs, like the Seattle Mariners did in 2024, there’s really not a whole lot of “off-time” in the offseason.

Between fall leagues, fall camps and activities and spring training beginning in February, professional baseball extends itself to three-fourths of the year. At least.

And a lot of prospects take advantage of those fall activities. Especially players working their way back from injury.

Media member Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB on “X”) share a video of one such Seattle player: right-handed pitching prospect Cole Phillips.

Phillips is working his way back from his second Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in February.

Phillips was drafted in the second round of the 2022 draft by the Atlanta Braves out of high school. He underwent his first Tommy John surgery before the Braves drafted him.

The Mariners acquired Phillips from Atlanta in a trade on Dec. 3, 2023, that sent former sixth-overall draft pick Jarred Kelenic, starting pitcher Marco Gonzales and Evan White to to the Braves.

Seattle also acquired reliever Jackson Kowar in the deal, another pitcher who underwent Tommy John surgery in the spring.

Phillips is yet to throw a pitch in a professional game, minor league or otherwise, in the 835 days since Atlanta drafted him.

Baseball America had the following scouting report on Phillips going into the 2022 draft:

“Phillips is under control to his balance point, and his long, loose takeback with good extension out in front produces life on his 95-98 mph fastball, generating run both up and down in the zone. Phillips throws a mid-80s slider that will flash plus when properly executed.”

It will likely be at least another year before Phillips gets the chance to pitch in his first professional game. And the path to the big leagues will be a longer journey, especially with his injury history.

But many fans will likely be cheering Phillips as he tries to work his way back.

MILLER HAS ONE OF THE BEST PITCHES IN THE LEAGUE, PER WEBSITE: Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller took a massive step in 2024, and one of his pitches was among the league’s best. CLICK HERE

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Former Seattle Mariners reliever Chris Devenski has signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets at the outset of the offseason.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com had the information on social media:

Sources: the Mets are in agreement on a minor league deal for pitcher Chris Devenski (with a camp invite).

The veteran right-hander and World Series champ recently became a free agent. He ended the season with a 2.35 ERA over 23 appearances for Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate.

Devenski did not appear in a game for the Mariners at the big-league level after being picked up from the Tampa Bay Rays. He elected free agency officially at the end of the regular season, allowing him the opportunity to sign with New York just three weeks later.

He’s a nine-year veteran with the Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels and Rays. He’s 27-22 lifetime with a 3.98 ERA and he won the World Series with the Astros in 2017. He also made the All-Star Game that same year.

He had an ERA of 6.75 with the Rays before getting DFA’d and getting picked up by Seattle.

The Mets are coming off a season in which they just got to the National League Championship Series. It could be tough to make the club for Devenski, but if he does, he’ll have a chance to be a part of a solid roster in 2025 as well.

As for the Mariners, they’ll keep looking to add to their bullpen over the course of the offseason.

Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on “X” @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the “Refuse to Lose” podcast by clicking HERE:

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