Every Rule 5 Draft pick in Mariners' history

SEATTLE -- This year’s Winter Meetings have been held virtually due to the pandemic, and the Rule 5 Draft will take place on Thursday at 9 a.m. PT, with Seattle holding the No. 12 selection in the Major League portion of the Draft.

? How the Rule 5 Draft works

The Mariners have been fairly active participants in the Rule 5 process in recent years, most notably adding relievers for bullpen depth.

? History of the Rule 5 Draft

While the format and eligibility rules have changed at times, here is every player selected in the Rule 5 process in Mariners’ history:

2020: Tigers RHP Will Vest -- The 25-year-old didn’t pitch in the regular season in 2020 due to the cancelation of the Minor League season, but he showed well for Detroit’s instructional league club in the fall with a 96-98 mph fastball and quality changeup, so he’ll have a good shot at earning a Mariners’ roster spot in ’21.

2019: Astros RHP Yohan Ramirez -- The hard-throwing reliever had a 2.61 ERA and three saves with 26 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings across 16 appearances in '20, and he appears in line to be a significant part of Seattle’s bullpen plans going forward.

2018: Rockies RHP Brandon Brennan -- He posted a 4.56 ERA in 44 relief appearances as a 27-year-old rookie in '19 and had a 3.68 ERA in five outings in '20 while dealing with a strained left oblique for much of the year.

2017: Yankees 1B Mike Ford -- He was returned to New York without playing in any games for Seattle. Ford made his MLB debut in ’19 for the Yankees and hit .217 with 14 homers and 36 RBIs in 79 games from '19-20.

2014: Astros LHP David Rollins -- He served an 80-game PED suspension before making his debut and wound up going 1-2 with a 7.60 ERA in 31 relief appearances in two seasons.

2011: Brewers LHP Lucas Luetge -- He went 2-2 with a 3.98 ERA and two saves in 63 appearances as a rookie lefty specialist and wound up sticking with the Mariners for four seasons (3-5, 4.35 ERA in 111 games).

2010: Indians RHP Jose Flores -- He was returned to Cleveland and never reached the Majors.

2009: Yankees RHP Kanekoa Texeira -- He went 0-1 with a 5.30 ERA in 16 relief appearances, then he was claimed off waivers by the Royals in June 2010.

2008: Yankees INF Reegie Corona -- He was returned to the Yankees and never reached the Majors.

2007: Twins RHP R.A. Dickey -- He went 5-8 with a 5.21 ERA in 32 games (14 starts) as he was working to refine a knuckleball at age 33. He became a free agent after the season and went on to go 99-91 with a 3.69 ERA in nine more seasons with four other teams and was the NL Cy Young Award winner for the Mets in ’12.

2001: Marlins SS Luis Ugueto -- He actually was drafted by the Pirates, who then immediately traded him to the Mariners for cash. Ugueto spent all of ’02 with the Mariners and hit .217 with eight stolen bases while getting 25 plate appearances in 62 games. He was often referred to as “The Rule 5 guy” by manager Lou Piniella, who couldn’t seem to remember his name. Ugueto spent most of the next two seasons at Triple-A Tacoma, though he did appear in 12 games with six plate appearances and one hit in ’03. But he never made it back to the Majors after that.

1997: Rockies 2B/SS Jeff Huson -- He was selected by the Mariners as a 33-year-old veteran nearing the end of a 12-year MLB career, and he hit .163 in 54 plate appearances in 31 games in ’98 before being released that July.

1993: Giants C Eric Christopherson -- He was returned to the Giants without playing any games and never reached the Majors.

1992: A’s RHP Reggie Harris and Mets SS Fernando Vi?a -- Harris spent two seasons in the Minors with the Mariners before becoming a free agent and pitched 86 games (1 start) with a 4.91 ERA for five teams in six seasons in MLB. Vi?a hit .222 in 53 plate appearances in 24 games for the Mariners before being returned to the Mets in mid-June. He went on to hit .282 in a 12-year MLB career, was an All-Star with Milwaukee in ’98 and won Gold Glove Awards for the Cardinals in 2001-02.

1991: Phillies RHP Donnie Elliott -- He was returned to the Phillies and never pitched for the Mariners, but he eventually pitched 31 games (one start) with a 3.09 ERA with the Padres in ’94-95.

1988: Blue Jays RHP Colin McLaughlin -- Never reached the Majors.

1986: Mets LHP Tony Ferreira and Blue Jays LHP Stan Clarke -- Ferreira had pitched two games with the Royals in ’85, but he never made it back to the Majors. Clarke went 2-2 with a 5.48 ERA in 22 relief appearances in ’87 with Seattle.

1984: Blue Jays RHP Mike Morgan -- After pitching in just two games his first year due to an arm issue, he was a full-time starter in '86-87 and went 24-35 with a 4.70 ERA in 73 games (66 starts) before being traded to the Orioles. Morgan wound up pitching 22 seasons for 12 different teams in the big leagues and was an NL All-Star in ’91 for the Dodgers.

1983: Blue Jays LHP Dave Geisel -- He went 1-1 with a 4.99 ERA in 32 games, including three starts, in two seasons for Seattle.

1981: Blue Jays INF Domingo Ramos -- He filled a utility role for six seasons ('82-87) while hitting .228 in 286 games.

1980: Indians OF Gary Gray -- He hit .252 with 20 homers and 60 RBIs in 149 games with Seattle in '81-82.

1977: Mets RHP Rick Baldwin -- He split the following season between the Mariners and Pirates organizations, but he never made it back to the Majors.

1976: Royals 1B/OF Charlie Beamon Jr. -- He hit .194 in 37 plate appearances with Seattle in '78-79.