Ohio State shortstop Henry Kaczmar has signed a free agent deal with the Seattle Mariners and will be joining his cousin, Buckeye catcher Mason Eckelman, who the Mariners drafted in the eighth round of the MLB draft.
Kaczmar’s career curve took an unusual turn. He originally committed to Ohio State and played two seasons in Columbus before transferring to South Carolina for the 2025 season and then coming back to OSU for his senior season last year.
A captain of the 2026 Ohio State squad, Kaczmar was recognized on the All-Big Ten Second Team and as an ABCA/Rawlings All-East Region Second Team honoree. During his senior campaign, Kaczmar set the single-season program doubles record with 26. He also batted .316 with 50 runs scored, 71 hits, 12 home runs, and 47 RBIs. He stole 7-for-8 bases.
Kaczmar and Eckelman played together in high school at Walsh Jesuit before playing at Ohio State together for the first two seasons of their college careers. They now will have a unique and rare opportunity to play together in the Big Leagues if all the stars align.
The duo were the only two OSU baseball players that were a part of the MLB draft process in 2026, and we’ll follow along with where things go as they try to navigate the Mariners’ minor leagues and hopefully on up to the Big Show.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State shortstop signed to free agent deal with Seattle mariners
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
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By Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
