In the grand scheme of things, this one probably doesn't mean a lot to the Seattle Mariners roster in 2026, but it may mean something to longtime M's fans who enjoy a hint of nostalgia.

The Mariners have signed outfielder Daniel Amaral to a minor league deal, per Joe Veyera.

The Mariners have signed outfielder Daniel Amaral to a minor league contract, per his profile page on the MiLB website. The 28-year-old (and son of Rich Amaral) spent most of last season with the Lancaster Stormers of the independent Atlantic League.

A former outfielder at UCLA, Amaral has spent parts of five seasons in the minor leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies. He's a career .257 hitter in the minors, but he hasn't played in affiliated ball since 2023. He also missed a year of development when the minor league season was canceled because of COVID-19 in 2020.

Amaral probably doesn't have any chance to help the Mariners at the big league level, and he likely doesn't have much of a chance to help at the minor league level, either. So why did they bring him in?

Speculatively speaking, the M's need help in the outfield this spring. With Randy Arozarena (Mexico), Julio Rodriguez (Dominican Republic), Dominic Canzone (Italy) and Miles Mastrobuoni (Italy) all going to the World Baseball Classic, the M's are short bodies for Cactus League action.

Furthermore, Rich Amaral was a beloved member of the 1990s M's, and a teammate of Dan Wilson. If this is Daniel's final shot at pro ball, it makes sense that it would be with an organization that has meant so much to the Amaral family.

A 10-year veteran, Amaral spent eight years with the Mariners from 1991-98. He hit .276 lifetime with 11 homers and 112 stolen bases. Known as a good runner and a solid defender, he was a complimentary fourth outfielder on teams that included Ken Griffey Jr. and Jay Buhner. He played a career-high 118 games in 1996 and was part of playoff teams in 1995 and 1997. Seattle famously advanced to the American League Championship Series in that 1995 season after beating the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series.

--The Mariners brought back catcher Mitch Garver on a minor league deal on Wednesday. Here's what you need to know.

--Our own Brady Farkas is LIVE at spring training for the next several days. Follow him on social media @RefuseToLosePod. 

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