The trades of Steve Delabar and Brandon League have opened up some spots in the Mariners bullpen and they're likely replacing those two with players that are younger and (Yippee!) better.
Carter Capps has been biding his time while he's been on a minor league tear all season, the inevitable moment where he gets his shot at the majors is finally here. Capps, a third round pick last season out of Mount Olive College, struck out 72 batters in 50 AA innings, while walking just 12 with a 1.26 ERA. He also recorded 19 saves.
Capps just debuted in AAA Tacoma and struck out three of the four batters he faced without allowing a baserunner. If you're in one of those fancy fantasy dynasty baseball leagues, it seems likely that Capps would be second-in-line to be the closer behind Tom Wilhemsen by next season.
Joining Capps in the bigs will be Stephen Pryor, making his second go-around with Seattle this season. Earlier in the year, Pryor struck out 5 and walked 3 in 5.1 relief innings with 1 run allowed. Pryor, a fifth round pick in 2010, has pitched 38.2 innings in the minors this season with 47 strikeouts and 19 walks and a 0.93 ERA. He's a little wild, but if the 22-year-old can control that, the M's have another long-term piece in their bullpen.
If neither of these guys work out, then it's likely that Capps will go back to his hometown and join the family business of mining olives on Olive Mountain.