Mariners Add Mike Jacobs

Augmenting their roster with some offensive-focused additions has been the chief priority of the Seattle Mariners this winter, as the team has already added the bats of both Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez to the Major League roster. Mike Jacobs is the latest to join the mix, as the first baseman signed a minor league deal with the team late Thursday morning. The deal includes an invitation to Spring Training for the 32 year old.

Jacobs spent the bulk of the 2012 season with the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, batting .279/.362/.486 with 18 HR, 15 doubles, and 60 RBI in 101 games (378 PA). He’d make it into 13 games with the D’backs as a September callup, hitting just .211/.348/.263 in the limited span.

The seven year MLB veteran holds a career mark of .253/.313/.473 in 2,140 plate appearances. His last extended stretch in the Major Leagues came during the 2009 season, with Kansas City, when he hit just .228/.297/.401 over 478 plate appearances.

Jacobs demonstrated a great power presence early on in his career, but numerous factors have kept him from putting things together with consistency. Jacobs also gained some notoriety during the 2011 season, becoming the first player to test positive for the presence of human growth hormone. The suspension, announced in August 2011 while he was playing with the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, effectively ended his season and tenure in Colorado. A left-handed hitter, Jacobs could potentially figure into the mix in Seattle with a strong performance during the Spring, though nothing is certain. Despite the power production early in his career, the inconsistencies and the failed drug test have pushed significant road blocks in his path up to this point.