Seattle Mariners name ten former Arkansas Travelers to active roster for ALDS

SEATTLE – When the Seattle Mariners announced their roster for the 2025 American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, their lineup card featured an active roster full of Arkansas Travelers alumni.

From the Big Dumper and JRod to a host of 2024 Texas League champions, several players with ties to the Natural State will be part of this season’s race to the World Series.

All season long, the Mariners’ batting order has been anchored by catcher Cal “The Big Dumper” Raleigh and outfielder Julio Rodriguez, a pair of former Travelers. Each have had historic seasons and will be starting in the Mariners’ first ALDS in three years with starting pitcher George Kirby taking the hill. Raleigh played with Arkansas in 2019 while Rodriguez and Kirby each spent time in North Little Rock in 2021.

Last September, Mariners third baseman Ben Williamson and catcher Harry Ford were celebrating a Texas League championship at Dickey-Stephens Park. Now they find themselves in the hunt for a World Series. This year, fellow Travs teammates Cole Young, Logan Evans and Brandyn Garcia also took to the field for the Mariners.

In addition to Saturday’s starter George Kirby and injured ace Bryan Woo, the Mariners pitching staff have featured several other former Travelers including Logan Gilbert, who played with Arkansas in 2019. Pitcher Emerson Hancock was teammates on the Travs with Matt Brash in 2021 and Bryce Miller in 2022 on their way to the show.

Another former Trav on the Mariners’ ALDS roster is infielder Leo Rivas who played with Arkansas in 2023 and split time between Triple-A Tacoma and the Mariners this season. Other familiar names to Travs fans that are experiencing the postseason fun this year on the team’s taxi squad for the playoffs include Troy Taylor as well as 2025 Travs Colt Emerson and Nick Raposo.