From Magic Tricks To The MLB: How 30 Minutes Changed Curtis Washington Jr.’s Life

June 17, 2026 — EVERETT, Wash. One minute, you could be taking batting practice at Everett Memorial Stadium. After that, you might be headed to the major leagues to join the Seattle Mariners.

That is exactly how things went down for Everett AquaSox outfielder Curtis Washington Jr. on Tuesday.

Prior to the Seattle Mariners’ game against the Baltimore Orioles, outfielder Randy Arozarena headed to the injured list with a left hamstring strain. Additionally, outfielder Luke Raley encountered back tightness during batting practice at T-Mobile Park, leaving Seattle down to zero outfielders on their bench at full strength.

Insert Washington Jr. into the picture.

Shortly after AquaSox batting practice, which wraps up around 5:00 p.m., Washington Jr. was in the clubhouse spending time with his teammates. It was another game of the 132-game minor league slate; Everett was gearing up to play at 7:05 p.m., and everything was routine.

“We just finished batting practice and we usually play cards as soon as we get in there,” Washington Jr. said. “I just learned a couple magic tricks with the playing cards, and I was showing the guys some of the tricks. In the middle of one of the tricks that I was showing them, Scotty [AquaSox Manager Ryan Scott] comes up to me and he's like, ‘Hey, Wash, I need you in the office.'”

When a player gets called into their manager’s office, there are many avenues the conversation could take. In Everett, where the AquaSox function as the High-A Affiliate of the Mariners, this includes outcomes such as a promotion to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers or being added to the Development List. The outcome for Washington Jr., though, was one that many within the AquaSox clubhouse had never witnessed before.

“We got off of the field after batting practice. It was about 5:00 p.m. and Justin Toole, our farm director, called me,” AquaSox Manager Ryan Scott said. “Toole goes, ‘I got a fun one for you.’ And you never really know what Toole's going to be calling about. He was like, ‘Hey, so, Curtis Washington Jr. is going to the big leagues.’”

Shock factor may be an understatement of the emotions experienced by all at the time. The Mariners were playing at 6:40 p.m. — about 90 minutes after the delivery of the news to Washington Jr. from Scott, who had never delivered the news of an MLB promotion before in his four seasons as a minor league manager.

“I was thinking that I was either going to the Development List or maybe going to Double-A,” Washington Jr. said. “Scotty looked at me and was like, ‘You're not going to believe this, but you're going to the big leagues tonight.’ I just looked at them in disbelief and was like, ‘Are you serious?’ It was just like a whole 26 years of hard work and trusting process all coming into fruition.”

After the AquaSox coaching staff broke the news to Washington Jr., it was time for the entire clubhouse to learn of their teammate’s promotion to the show. Unexpected to each player, Scott corralled the entire team into one half of the locker room for a last-second team meeting.

“Nobody knew. And then, out of nowhere, we heard this big scream,” AquaSox infielder Austin St. Laurent said. “We still had no idea what's going on. And then Scotty was able to come in and tell us what happened which we were all super excited about.”

From there, things became a dash to downtown. Fighting traffic to downtown Seattle in rush hour, Washington Jr. quickly packed his bags, hopped into an Uber and darted his way toward T-Mobile Park, ultimately arriving at the stadium after a couple of innings had passed by. A call back home to his mother and father was also made, breaking the news to them.

Once Washington Jr. arrived in Seattle, Mariners infielder Brendan Donovan was the first to greet him, providing him a tour of the facilities. He also reconnected with many familiar faces from his recent time in the minor leagues including 2025 AquaSox Manager Zach Vincej, Outfield Coach Shuhei Fukuda, and Assistant Hitting Coordinator Brock Stassi.

While Washington Jr. was getting acclimated in his new home for the night, the vibes remained high among the Everett clubhouse. Known for his energy, beaming smile, love for his teammates, and positive attitude brought to the ballpark daily, support for Washington Jr. was universal.

“He's the clubhouse guy. There is not a single person that was not cheering for that,” AquaSox Bench Coach Logan Moore said. "That was a really cool moment for him and, I mean, imagine how he's feeling. We were pumped, so multiply [the excitement] by 20. It was really awesome.”

“He might be the happiest and most upbeat person on the planet, which you can see out there,” St. Laurent said. “If you need him, he's just a call away for you. I've been blessed enough to be around him a lot. Him and I go to the field together every morning, have good conversations, and hang out at night. He's a really good dude, really good friend, and one of the best teammates.”

While the celebration of their teammate’s accomplishment continued in Everett, Washington Jr. found himself soaking in the experience of stardom on display on the largest stage.

“Seeing Pete Alonso, Gunnar Henderson, and Jackson Holliday seemed so surreal. It felt like I was in a dream,” Washington Jr. said. “T-Mobile Park was a packed house. There were a lot of fans there and it was just unreal. I couldn't put it into words.”

Having spent five years in the Mariners’ minor league system, Washington Jr. has made many connections over the years and played alongside many faces. The love for Washington Jr. the player and Washington Jr. the person radiated throughout the evening, creating a homestyle environment on his first day spent in the big leagues.

“Seeing the reactions of the big league team seeing me come into the clubhouse — I think that is going to stick forever because everybody was happy to see me,” Washington Jr. said. “No matter who it was: Julio Rodríguez, Randy Arozarena, and especially Colt Emerson and Cole Young — the guys that I used to play with in the minor leagues were happy to see me. It just made me feel good. It made me feel good as a person, individual, player, teammate, and all around.”

Amid the diamond, Washington Jr.'s game is built on elite defense in the outfield and outstanding baserunning skills. When the Mariners came looking for a piece to plug into their roster, Scott had zero doubts that Washington Jr. was the right fit that could play into any lineup for a team in the thick of a divisional race.

“On the field, what you're always going to get from Curtis is a very trustworthy baserunner and a trustworthy defender,” Scott said. “You're going to get a guy who, if he needed to bat, would have gone out there and competed his butt off in the box and done what he could to get the job done for the team. You think of a guy like Terrance Gore, who helped the Kansas City Royals win a World Series in 2015, going out there and running the bases in October. There's definitely a real chance and a real possibility that could be something that Curtis does based on the skillset he has, and you see guys like Chandler Simpson in the big leagues now that are 80-grade speed guys that can go out there and steal bases, put the ball in play, play solid defense, and add a ton of value to an organization trying to win a World Series.”

The biggest takeaway for the AquaSox roster as a whole from Washington Jr.’s promotion is one that their coaching staff and the Mariners preach: You have to be ready to rise to the moment, and you always have to be prepared because you never know when the call will come in.

“We talk about it in Spring Training every year with our guys. Every year our big league team has guys called up to the major leagues that weren't in major league camp. So, when we are talking to guys down in minor league camp — whether it's minicamp or when we get to full camp — somebody is going to help the major league team this year,” Scott said. “That is always the message to the guys. You never know who it's going to be.”

Scott likened the situation and philosophy to his first stint as AquaSox Manager during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, where he saw two pitchers make a rapid rise to the MLB.

“When I was here in 2023, we had Ty Adcock pitching in the big leagues by June when he started in Everett in April. Same thing with Troy Taylor in 2024. He started in Everett and he was pitching in the big leagues by August that year,” Scott said. “You really never know what can happen, and it can happen really quick. That always is the message to the guys.”

Upon his return to Everett on Wednesday, it was apparent that Washington Jr. took that philosophy to heart and embraced it during his time spent with Seattle.

“The first thing Curtis said today when he got back after [the team] asked what he learned was that ‘It can happen at any time and any moment to anyone.’ He hit it on the head,” Moore said. “A lot of this game is the right place and the right time, and you just have to stay ready. That's why we're doing it. Just for those calls like that. We might not know it's coming, and that's how it works sometimes.”

And as for what roots Washington Jr. in the process as he continues to ascend the ranks of baseball, it is a simple combo: Faith, gratitude, and commitment to the craft.

“I continue to keep God first and trust the process. Don't take any day for granted. Always be ready,” Washington Jr. said. “You can literally be in High-A one day and in the big leagues the next day. You just never know. Just keep doing the right things. Be a good teammate and the results will show.”

PICTURED ABOVE: Curtis Washington Jr.

PHOTO BY: Ben Van Houten / Seattle Mariners