The Seattle Mariners ‘have plans’ for Ashton Izzi. The fourth-round pick from Oswego East can’t wait.
Just two weeks ago, Ashton Izzi was living at home with his parents and going to practices with his travel team. Every morning, Izzi gets to the Seattle Mariners’ spring training complex in Peoria, Arizona, by 7 a.m.. Izzi went in the fourth round with the 126th overall pick on July 18.
Just two weeks ago, Ashton Izzi was living at home with his parents and going to practices with his travel team.
Much has changed for the recent Oswego East graduate, who is living the life of a professional baseball player.
Every morning, Izzi gets to the Seattle Mariners’ spring training complex in Peoria, Arizona, by 7 a.m.
“It’s a little weird not having my family with me,” he said. “I feel like I’m prepared for this and prepared to live the professional life. I have to start working my way to the top.”
Izzi had signed a national letter of intent to play at Wichita State. But as more scouts started to watch the 6-foot-3 right-hander pitch during the high school season, it became apparent he could start his pro career a lot sooner.
As the second day of the draft progressed last month, Izzi’s adviser called him and told him to be prepared because the Mariners were interested.
“I got what I wanted from them, and I got a call saying ‘watch the draft,’ and my name came up,” Izzi said. “We discussed the range of money (in a signing bonus) we would see and what we would take from each team, and we stuck to it.”
Izzi went in the fourth round with the 126th overall pick on July 18. The slot value for his signing bonus was $474,000. The Mariners gave him $1.1 million to forgo college baseball and report to Arizona.
“They are great at developing pitchers,” Izzi said. “It’s a great place to be.”
On the first day of the draft, he watched as Oswego East teammate Noah Schultz went 26th overall to the White Sox.
Schultz also signed. So Izzi and Schultz are 20 minutes away from each other as they start their pro careers.
“If he ever needs anything, I’m here for him, and I know he’s here for me too,” Izzi said.
The morning after Schultz was drafted, Izzi said he went to practice like normal and was driving home when he got the call from his adviser.
“My mom was working in the basement, and we told her to come up and watch the draft,” Izzi said. “She had to call off the rest of the day from work. She couldn’t think. Everybody was reaching out. It was almost like I couldn’t go on my phone without getting a notification.”
Izzi can hit the mid-90s in velocity with his fastball, and he also throws a change-up and a slider. Scouting experts project him to be a starting pitcher long term.
Izzi is going through workouts and throwing on flat ground for now. The plan is for him to get into the Mariners’ training and nutrition program and be ready for his first pro assignment in 2023.
“Hopefully I’ll get to pitch in spring training next year,” Izzi said. “We aren’t throwing off a mound now, but physically the (older) guys are ahead of me. I’m already on a plan to gain weight and gain size.”
Izzi and the Mariners’ other newly signed players — a few from high school but mostly from college — are getting to know the grind together. He said his time in Arizona has gone smoothly as he transitions to a very different lifestyle.
“The guys here are really friendly,” he said. “They take you under your wing. It’s been pretty good. The college guys have been super nice and walk us through how to get used to things.
“(The Mariners) have plans, and they want me pitching by next year. So if I can start out on a team next year, that would be awesome.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
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