Report: Mariners close to trading for a catcher

The Seattle Mariners appear poised to bolster their depth behind the plate after watching catcher Mike Zunino stumble through the first half of the 2015 campaign.

The Mariners, who have received less value from behind the plate than any other team this season, are close to trading for a catcher, according to Jon Morosi of FOX Sports.

Details of a potential deal have yet to surface, but catchers that may be available via trade include Geovany Soto, Jeff Mathis, and Nick Hundley. Morosi also reported that the Mariners discussed a trade involving A.J. Pierzynski with the Atlanta Braves, but the 38-year-old isn't the catcher the club is close to acquiring.

A subsequent report from Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, however, indicated that the Mariners aren't close to a deal.

Zunino, incidetally, has regressed at the plate after showing promise, at times, in an altogether inconsistent season last summer. The former first-round pick hitting just .199 with a 33.2 percent strikeout rate and 22 home runs in 131 games for the Mariners in 2014, his first full season in the majors.

Though his defense behind the plate has improved, his contact issues have worsened. Over 81 games in 2015, the 24-year-old is hitting a paltry .160/.223/.292 with nine home runs while striking out more frequently (36.1 percent) than any qualified player in baseball.