The Valley Isle might have its third Major Leaguer in the 2010 season after pitcher Kanekoa Texeira was picked up by the Seattle Mariners in the Rule 5 Draft yesterday at the MLB Winter Meetings in Indianapolis.

The move means Texeira, who turns 24 on Feb. 6, must stay on the Mariners’ 25-man roster the entire 2010 season or will have to be returned to the New York Yankees, who did not protect the right-handed pitcher on their 40-man roster after his fourth pro season.
“I wasn’t really surprised,” Texeira said in telephone interview. “I got the call at 4 in the morning (from my agent). That was the surprise.”
It is the second winter the 2004 Kamehameha alumnus is changing organizations. He was drafted and signed in the 22nd round by the Chicago White Sox out of Saddleback JC in California in 2006. In November of 2008, he was part of a trade that sent he and outfielder Nick Swisher to the Yankees for three players.
Texeira went 9-6 with a 2.84 earned run average and two saves at Double-A Trenton (NJ). In 41 appearances, six of them starts, he logged 101° innings, striking out 88 and walking 43.
“I think it’s pretty good fit for me,” said Texeira, projected to be a middle reliever. “Every team needs guys to eat of up innings.”
This past season was the first time Texeira threw triple-digit innings.
If he makes the Mariners squad out of spring training, he will join Shane Victorino (St. Anthony) of the Philadelphia Phillies and Kurt Suzuki (Baldwin) of the Oakland Athletics to increase Maui’s representation.
Victorino’s big-league career was started as a Rule 5 pick twice, first by the San Diego Padres and then by the Phillies. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1999.
“I talked to Shane,” Texeira said. “Shane’s pretty excited. I’ll be going up to train with Shane in Vegas in early January and stay there until spring training.”
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.