Mariners pitcher Brandon Maurer remains in Seattle spring training camp while many of the other big-time pitching prospects in the organization have been cut, reports MLB.com Monday.
Prospects the likes of Danny Hultzen, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton have been sent to minor league camp, but the 22-year-old Maurer remains. He's never pitched above Double-A, but he made some noise last year after being named the Southern League Pitcher of the Year for Jackson.
"All I know is I just have to go out there and throw well on Tuesday," Maurer said. "That's all I can worry about. I've got to get through five [innings]. That's the approach I've tried to take the whole time. Just worry about myself and not all that other stuff."
Maurer, the No. 6-rated prospect in the organization according to Baseball America, is simply trying to win a roster spot. That said, he is one injury from being in the rotation for the Mariners. He's given up just one run over 10 spring innings with 11 Ks. So far that is more impressive than the projected No. 5 starter Blake Beavan has been. It is definitely better than Jeremy Bonderman has been. Jon Garland has been OK, but only over six innings to this point.