The Seattle Mariners granted Casey Lawrence’s release from his contract on Thursday so the right-hander can seek an opportunity to play in Japan.
Lawrence requested unconditional release waivers and he was removed from the Mariners’ 40-man roster after spending time with both Triple-A Tacoma and the Mariners throughout the past season. He began 2018 on the Mariners’ Opening Day roster.
The Mariners’ 40-man roster is now at 35 players.
Lawrence wasn’t even going to play baseball when he went to NCAA Division III Albright College in Pennsylvania. He was a basketball player, but midway through converted to baseball and made his way into the pros as an undrafted free agent in 2010.