Through 14 spring games, Romero has seven hits, eight RBI and a .500 batting average. He singled in his first plate appearance of the spring against the San Diego Padres on Feb. 22. Two days later against the Padres, Romero went 2-for-2 with an RBI base hit.

Thursday, the 24-year-old singled off of Kansas City starter Ervin Santana in his first at-bat. Romero scored later in the inning on a one-out double by Casper Wells. Romero returned to the plate in the fourth against Kansas City reliever Guillermo Moscoso with one out and the bases loaded. He blasted a grand slam over the left-field fence to give Seattle a 5-1 lead. Kansas City retired Romero on a groundout in the sixth but the M's second baseman responded in the eighth with a lead-off double that was the catalyst for a Seattle three-run surge. Romero ended his day at the plate with a two-run swat to center field in the ninth.

Romero, the 2012 Seattle Mariners Minor League Player of the Year, is in his second Major League Spring Training stint. Romero appeared in five spring games for Seattle last year and compiled a .500 batting average, five hits and two RBI.

Accolades poured in for Romero following a breakout 2012 season which he split between Advanced-A High Desert of the California League and Double-A Jackson of the Southern League. In addition to winning the Mariners’ Minor League Player of the Year award, Romero was a Baseball America Minor League All-Star and a TOPPS Double-A All-Star. He finished the minor league season with a .352 batting average, 23 home runs, 101 RBI, 167 hits, 85 runs, 34 doubles and a .991 OPS rating. Romero led the Seattle farm system in batting average and he was second among all Seattle minor leaguers in home runs and RBI. Stefen went on to hit .333 in the prestigious Arizona Fall League for the Peoria Javelinas. He clubbed a pair of home runs and drove in nine through 11 games.

Stefen was a summer collegiate all-star with the Glens Falls Golden Eagles during the 2008 season. He helped Glens Falls to the New York Collegiate Baseball League Championship Series.