The Seattle Mariners have added another pitching option to their organization, claiming right-handed pitcher Nolan Kingham off waivers from the Texas Rangers. Both clubs announced the transaction Monday, August 10, with Seattle immediately assigning the 29-year-old pitcher to Triple-A Tacoma. Because the Mariners already had several open spots on their 40-man roster, the organization did not need to make another corresponding move to complete the claim. (MLB.com)
Kingham’s arrival represents a relatively low-risk move for Seattle, but it gives the organization another experienced arm who could potentially provide depth if injuries or workload concerns create an opening on the major league pitching staff. The right-hander has taken an unusual path to his first taste of the majors, spending time in both the United States and Mexico before finally receiving an opportunity with the Rangers earlier this month.
Although Kingham did not have an extended stay in Texas, the Mariners clearly saw enough in his overall profile to use one of their available 40-man roster spots on him. His immediate assignment to Tacoma also gives Seattle the flexibility to evaluate him in the minors without having to put him directly into the major league bullpen or rotation.
Kingham’s Long Road to the Major Leagues
Kingham’s professional career began after Atlanta selected him in the 11th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Like many players who spend several years working their way through the minor leagues, the right-hander faced several obstacles before getting close to the majors.
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His time in the Braves organization eventually came to an end when Atlanta released him in March 2024. Rather than stepping away from professional baseball, Kingham continued his career in Mexico, joining the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League. That move turned out to be an important part of his development.
Kingham remained with Monterrey into the 2026 season, giving him an opportunity to continue pitching competitively while working toward another chance in affiliated baseball. According to MLB’s transaction history, the Rangers signed him to a minor league contract on May 28 after he had opened the year with the Sultanes. Monterrey released him the previous day. (MLB.com)
The timing of the move was particularly important because Kingham had performed extremely well to begin the season. He reportedly recorded a 1.82 ERA over six starts in Mexico before Texas brought him into its system.
That performance convinced the Rangers that he was worth another opportunity in affiliated baseball. Texas assigned him to the Triple-A Round Rock Express, where he would spend the majority of his time before eventually receiving his first major league call-up.
A Difficult Stretch at Triple-A
Kingham’s numbers at Triple-A Round Rock were considerably less impressive on the surface.
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He appeared in 11 games and worked 46 1/3 innings, posting a 6.99 ERA. At first glance, that number would appear to be a major concern. However, there are additional factors worth considering when evaluating his performance.
Round Rock plays in the Pacific Coast League, an environment that can be particularly challenging for pitchers. The league has historically produced inflated offensive numbers, meaning raw ERA does not always provide a complete picture of a pitcher’s effectiveness.
Kingham’s underlying numbers were not nearly as alarming as his ERA.
He posted a 21.5% strikeout rate, an 8.3% walk rate and a 41.7% ground-ball rate. None of those figures were particularly dominant, but they also did not suggest a pitcher completely overwhelmed by the level of competition.
Instead, several unfavorable results contributed to the high ERA.
Kingham allowed a .344 batting average on balls in play during his time with Round Rock, while his strand rate was only 62.3%. Those figures indicate that he had difficulty preventing runners from scoring once they reached base, while also dealing with a relatively high number of balls finding holes.
That combination can make a pitcher’s ERA look considerably worse than his underlying performance.
It does not mean Kingham was secretly dominant at Triple-A, but it does suggest that Seattle may believe there is enough here to justify giving him another opportunity. The Mariners can afford to take that chance because they do not immediately need him on the major league roster.
Brief Major League Debut With Texas
The Rangers eventually called Kingham up to the majors at the beginning of August.
It was the culmination of a long journey for the right-hander, who had gone from being released by Atlanta to pitching in Mexico and then returning to affiliated baseball with Texas.
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Unfortunately for Kingham, his first major league opportunity was extremely brief.
He appeared in one game for the Rangers, pitching one inning and allowing one earned run. While that debut was hardly enough to establish whether he can succeed at the major league level, it at least gave him the experience of reaching the highest level of professional baseball.
His time in Texas ended shortly afterward when the Rangers designated him for assignment to create roster space following the activation of Jordan Montgomery. Montgomery returned to the majors after recovering from Tommy John surgery, forcing Texas to make a corresponding 40-man roster decision. Kingham became the casualty of that move. (Lone Star Ball)
The Mariners subsequently stepped in.
Why Seattle Was Willing to Take the Chance
For Seattle, the claim makes plenty of sense.
The Mariners did not have to clear a roster spot to acquire Kingham because they already had multiple vacancies. MLB’s official announcement confirmed that the 40-man roster now sits at 37 players. (MLB.com)
That means the organization could take a chance on Kingham without sacrificing another player.
The Mariners also have considerable flexibility with how they use him. Instead of immediately placing him on the active roster, they assigned him to Tacoma, where he can continue working as organizational depth.
That may ultimately be the most important part of the transaction.
Seattle does not necessarily need Kingham to become an immediate contributor. The Mariners can allow him to work with the Tacoma coaching staff, monitor his performance and determine whether the pitcher who posted a 1.82 ERA in Mexico can be rediscovered.
If he pitches well, Seattle will have another arm available for a future call-up.
If he struggles, the organization has not given up significant assets to acquire him.
That is exactly the kind of transaction contenders often make during the middle and latter portions of a season.
Seattle Still Has a Strong Starting Rotation
Kingham’s addition comes at a time when Seattle’s pitching depth remains important.
The Mariners recently changed the composition of their rotation after trading Luis Castillo, but they still possess a strong group of established starters.
Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Bryce Miller and Emerson Hancock give Seattle five legitimate options for its starting rotation. That group means Kingham is not being brought in with the expectation that he will immediately become one of the club’s primary starters.
Instead, he gives the organization another potential insurance policy.
The Mariners also have highly regarded pitching prospects developing within the system. Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan represent additional options who could eventually become part of Seattle’s major league pitching plans.
With that much starting-pitching depth, Kingham’s most realistic path to the majors may initially come through a different role.
A Potential Spot Starter or Long Reliever
One area where Kingham could become useful is as a spot starter or long reliever.
Teams competing for postseason positions need more than five starters. Over the course of a long season, injuries, doubleheaders, scheduled rest and workload management can all force clubs to use additional pitchers.
A pitcher who can provide multiple innings becomes especially valuable under those circumstances.
Kingham’s experience as a starter in Mexico and the minors gives Seattle some flexibility. He has already worked multiple innings at Triple-A this season, and the Mariners can determine whether he is best suited to remain in a traditional starting role or transition toward relief.
The need for that kind of depth became even more relevant after Casey Lawrence opted out of his minor league contract. That opened another potential avenue for a pitcher such as Kingham to eventually move up the organizational ladder.
Seattle does not have to make that decision immediately, however.
For now, Kingham can simply pitch in Tacoma and attempt to establish himself.
The Value of His 40-Man Roster Spot
Another attractive part of the transaction is Kingham’s roster flexibility.
Because he has options remaining, the Mariners can keep him on the 40-man roster while allowing him to spend time in Tacoma. That is a useful situation for a team that wants to maintain as much organizational depth as possible.
Rather than having to place him directly on the major league roster, Seattle can let him develop at Triple-A and call upon him when necessary.
That could become especially valuable later in the season.
If a starter suffers an injury, if the club needs a bulk pitcher or if the bullpen becomes overworked, Kingham could potentially receive another opportunity in the majors.
He now has at least one inning of major league experience under his belt, which gives him a small but important taste of what to expect if he gets another call.
A Second Chance With a Contender
From Kingham’s perspective, the waiver claim gives him another opportunity almost immediately after his first major league experience.
His path to Seattle is a reminder of how unpredictable a professional baseball career can be.
He was drafted by Atlanta in 2018, released by the organization six years later, and then continued his career in Mexico. After beginning 2026 with Monterrey and producing strong numbers, he earned another opportunity in affiliated baseball.
The Rangers gave him a minor league contract, he worked his way to Triple-A, and eventually he received his major league debut.
That debut lasted only one inning.
Now, rather than returning to independent or international baseball, Kingham has been claimed by another major league organization.
Seattle’s decision gives him another chance to prove that his recent struggles at Triple-A do not define his potential.
What Comes Next for Kingham
The immediate objective is straightforward: pitch well for Tacoma.
Kingham will have the opportunity to work with the Mariners’ minor league staff and attempt to build some momentum after his difficult stretch with Round Rock.
Seattle can afford to be patient.
The organization does not need to rush him into a major league role, and its current rotation gives the club enough stability to allow Kingham to develop as organizational depth.
If he begins producing stronger results in Tacoma, however, his situation could change quickly.
The Mariners are likely to monitor his strikeout rate, walk rate, ground-ball percentage and overall ability to limit hard contact. Improving his run prevention while maintaining the control he showed earlier in the year would make him a more intriguing option for the major league club.
The organization may also experiment with his workload.
If Kingham continues working as a starter, he could become an emergency rotation option. If Seattle believes his stuff would play better in shorter appearances, he could eventually transition into the bullpen.
Either way, the Mariners now have another option.
A Low-Cost Move With Some Upside
Ultimately, Seattle’s claim of Nolan Kingham is not the type of transaction that is expected to dominate headlines.
It is a depth move.
But depth moves can become extremely important over the course of a pennant race.
The Mariners had open room on their 40-man roster, so acquiring Kingham required little sacrifice. He can remain at Triple-A Tacoma, where Seattle can evaluate whether his promising work in Mexico and respectable underlying numbers at Round Rock point toward a potential major league contributor.
His 6.99 ERA at Triple-A is certainly something the organization will want to improve, but the surrounding statistics provide at least some reason for optimism. His 21.5% strikeout rate, 8.3% walk rate and 41.7% ground-ball rate suggest that there is a workable foundation.
The Mariners also have no obligation to determine his long-term role right away.
They can give him time.
For a player who has spent much of his career searching for another opportunity, that may be exactly what Kingham needs.
Seattle’s rotation is already well stocked, but baseball seasons rarely unfold without unexpected problems. Injuries and workload issues can create openings without warning. Having an experienced right-hander already on the 40-man roster could give the Mariners another solution when those situations arise.
For now, Kingham will head to Tacoma and attempt to make the most of his second chance.
The Mariners have taken a small gamble on a pitcher with an unconventional journey, some intriguing past results and plenty left to prove. Given the minimal cost of the move and the flexibility it provides, Seattle has little reason not to see what Kingham can offer.
If he can turn around his Triple-A results and rediscover the form that helped him earn his way back into affiliated baseball, the waiver claim could eventually provide the Mariners with a useful depth arm at a critical point in the season.
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