Mariners prospect Carlos Triunfel is glad to be back on the field

Young shortstop made his Arizona Fall League debut on Thursday.

Seattle Times staff reporter

A three-strikeout day isn't something top Mariners prospect Carlos Triunfel hopes to see a lot of.

But the 19-year-old Class AA shortstop was pleased just to be back in the batter's box Thursday, making his Arizona Fall League debut after a serious leg injury. Triunfel missed most of 2009 after breaking his fibula and tearing ankle ligaments on his left leg in his team's second game of the season.

He started at shortstop for the Peoria Javelinas on Thursday and wound up going 0 for 3, all strikeouts, and a walk.

"I just got done speaking to him on the phone and I told him, 'So, I thought you told me you were ready?' " quipped Pedro Grifol, the Mariners' director of minor-league operations.

In all seriousness, Grifol says Triunfel is slightly ahead of schedule.

"He had a very serious injury," Grifol said. "Just to have him back out there playing this winter is pretty fortunate."

Triunfel had been designated a "Priority Player" on his Peoria team and thus will see plenty of daily action.

The Mariners also cleared room on their 40-man roster Thursday — getting it down to 35 — by optioning first baseman Bryan LaHair, right-handed pitchers Randy Messenger and Marwin Vega and left-hander Cesar Jimenez to Class AAA.

Left-handed pitcher Justin Thomas, who appeared in eight games for the Mariners in 2008, was claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh.

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