PULASKI -- When you're the 1,304th overall pick in the draft, the leash is short.

Mark McGonigle learned that brutal lesson last year, when the Mets released him after one professional season in which he batted .297.

"They told me it was just the nature of the business," McGonigle said. "They told me thanks for playing hard for them and sent me out the door."

Another door soon opened, however. Thanks to some help from members of his former organization, McGonigle latched on with the Mariners. On Tuesday, the outfielder made a solid starting debut with Pulaski, notching a double and a single in his initial two at-bats in an 8-1 Johnson City victory.

McGonigle said he never got an explanation from the Mets regarding why he was released. He figured batting nearly .300 with 22 runs scored and 15 RBIs in 111 at-bats in the Gulf Coast League would be enough to keep him around another year, but the club thought otherwise.

"It surprised me and a lot of other people -- coaches, players," said McGonigle, 23. "My managers loved me. They were the ones making sure I had a place to play after the Mets. They gave me great recommendations. They're a big reason why the Mariners picked me up."

Being a 43rd-round draft pick out of the University of New Orleans didn't help his chances of sticking. Clubs regularly favor players in whom they've made larger investments.

"No doubt," McGonigle said. "You see guys that you've outplayed, you've put up better numbers than them, you see them getting moved up. One thing I've noticed with the Mariners is they promote based on production, not as much how much a guy gets paid. I'm glad to be here."

Unfortunately for the slumping Mariners (1-7), McGonigle's 2-for-4 night represented half their hits. Johnson City pitchers Chris Notti, Justin Smith and Travis Lawler combined to shut them down. The Cardinals slugged three home runs, including one from Matthew Adams, who went 4-for-5.

Still, after what he's been through, McGonigle was relieved to get off to a fast start. He even won a free dinner for being named the Pulaski player of the game.

"That's always nice," he said, smiling. "We don't make a lot of money down here."

Notes

Calfee Park welcomed its 600,000th fan among the crowd of 902 Tuesday ... LHP Brian Moran, the No. 203 overall pick in last month's draft out of North Carolina, signed over the weekend and was at the park Tuesday. He won't be officially added to the roster until he completes his physical. The nephew of former big-leaguer B.J. Surhoff, Moran led the ACC with 12.21 strikeouts per nine innings this spring ... Prized outfield prospect Julio Morban ($1.1 million signing bonus) has been sent to the Arizona League.

Johnson City 000 142 001 -- 8 15 1

Pulaski 010 000 000 -- 1 4 1

Notti, Smith (8), Lawler (9) and Stock; Tome, Josselyn (5) and Familia. W--Notti. L--Tome. HR--Adams (JC), 4th, none on; Mateo (JC), 5th, none on; Swinson (JC), 5th, one on.