DeLAND, Fla. — Former Stetson ace Logan Gilbert is on the verge of another milestone in an already remarkable Major League career.

The Seattle Mariners right-hander enters his scheduled start Saturday at 1:10 p.m. ET against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field needing just two strikeouts to become the third former Hatter to record 1,000 career Major League strikeouts. Gilbert is projected to take the ball in Seattle's final game before the MLB All-Star break.

One of baseball's most durable and dependable starters, Gilbert has once again been among the American League's top pitchers in 2026. Through 18 starts, the 29-year-old owns a 7-5 record, 3.19 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 114 strikeouts in 107.1 innings, while continuing to rank among the league leaders in WHIP and innings pitched.

Gilbert comes into Saturday's outing in outstanding form after dominating the Toronto Blue Jays on July 4. The right-hander scattered just one hit over 7.1 scoreless innings, striking out seven without issuing a walk to earn his seventh victory of the season. The performance left him sitting at 998 career strikeouts, just two shy of the four-digit mark.

Gilbert's climb toward 1,000 strikeouts has been fueled by remarkable consistency since making his Major League debut in 2021. Over six seasons, he has established himself as the anchor of Seattle's rotation, compiling a career 3.53 ERA while approaching the milestone before his 165th career start. He has also twice been named the Mariners' Opening Day starter and earned an American League All-Star selection in 2024.

Long before becoming one of the game's premier starters, Gilbert authored one of the greatest pitching careers in Stetson history.

The Winter Park native was a two-time ASUN Pitcher of the Year (2017, 2018), becoming the first pitcher in conference history to earn the honor in consecutive seasons. As a junior in 2018, he posted an 11-2 record with a 2.72 ERA and set a program record with 143 strikeouts, helping lead the Hatters to the ASUN Championship and the NCAA DeLand Regional.

Gilbert finished his collegiate career with a 2.49 ERA and ranks among the program's all-time leaders in strikeouts, earning multiple All-America honors before being selected 14th overall by the Seattle Mariners in the 2018 MLB Draft.

Now, another milestone awaits.

If Gilbert records two strikeouts Saturday against the Rays, he will become just the third former Stetson player to reach 1,000 career Major League strikeouts, joining Cy Young winners Corey Kluber and Jacob deGrom, adding another chapter to the Hatters' proud tradition of producing elite pitching talent at the highest level.