Dec 8, 2012 2 min read

The Wild Things have added two players to their roster by signing a veteran outfielder and a pitcher with one year of professional experience. Washington signed switch-hitting outfielder Mario Yepez, who played six seasons in the Seattle Mariners’ minor-league system, and right-handed pitcher Tanner Hamilton, who played last summer in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ system.

Yepez has played in 362 games and had more than 1,300 at-bats as a pro, all with the Mariners. The 24-year-old native of Venezuela had his best season in 2011, when he hit .332 with 17 doubles for Everett (Ore.) in Class A. Last season, Yepez played at three different levels, appearing in 44 games in Class A, five in Class AA and six for the Mariners’ Class AAA affiliate in Tacoma.

“We’re excited to add Mario to our team and expect him to come in and compete for one of our starting outfield spots,” Wild Things assistant general manager Steve Zavacky said. “Mario is currently playing winter ball in Venezuela.”

Yepez was recommended to the Wild Things by one of their players, pitcher Jhonny Montoya.

Hamilton was signed by Arizona as a nondrafted free agent out of the University of Houston-Victoria. He pitched 23 innings in the Arizona Rookie League and struck out 32 batters. A native of Texas, Hamilton had a 1-0 record with one save.