The Seattle Mariners added outfielder Grant McCray to their 40-man roster on Thursday after claiming him off waivers from the San Francisco Giants, according to announcements from both clubs and the MLB transaction log.
The move is one of several roster-maintenance transactions across the league as free agency begins and teams prepare for the end of the 60-day injured list period shortly after the World Series.
The Giants entered the week with a bloated 40-man roster (projected around 56 players by RosterResource), making McCray one of multiple players they needed to clear.
Seattle, by contrast, had room; the club stated its 40-man count stood at 35 after the claim, though players currently on the 60-day IL will need to be reinstated soon.
McCray, who turns 26 in December, is a left-handed-hitting, right-handed-throwing outfielder drafted by the Giants in the third round in 2019 out of a Florida high school.
He reached the majors in August 2024 and has since served primarily as up-and-down depth, shuttling between San Francisco and Triple-A Sacramento.
Across 102 big-league games and 247 plate appearances, he has hit .170/.235/.323 with seven home runs. He has, however, gone a perfect 13-for-13 in stolen bases.
His speed is his clearest carrying tool. Statcast placed his sprint speed in the 95th percentile among qualified players in 2026, and he has long been regarded as one of the faster runners in the Giants system.
While the elite wheels have not yet produced consistent major-league offensive or defensive results, McCray has shown more balance in the minors.
From 2024 through 2026 he logged 1,185 plate appearances at the upper levels, posting a .246/.337/.420 slash line (101 wRC+) with a solid walk rate even as strikeouts remained elevated.
For the Mariners, McCray represents low-cost, optionable outfield depth as they reshape the position.
Seattle’s projected 2027 outfield currently features Julio Rodríguez, Lazaro Montes, Dominic Canzone, Luke Raley, and Brennen Davis, and the club is expected to pursue external additions to help replace free agent Randy Arozarena.
Because McCray still has an option remaining, he can be sent to Triple-A Tacoma for regular at-bats and recalled when needed. The Mariners could also choose to pass him through waivers later in the winter if they prefer to retain him as non-roster depth.
In short, the claim gives Seattle a proven major-league body with elite speed and remaining minor-league flexibility at a moment when both clubs are trimming their 40-man rosters.
Whether McCray becomes a useful fourth outfielder or remains organizational depth will depend on how his bat and defense develop in a new environment.
