SEC Bats Aplenty: Analyzing Mariners’ First Six ‘26 Draft Picks

The Mariners had the luxury of an obvious first-round choice last year in the form of Kade Anderson, a relatively complete left-handed pitching prospect out of LSU, with the third pick of the draft. The team had no such clear option this year, however, as the thin crop of sure-thing prospects were already gone by the time the M’s had a pick.

But that is usually the case for any team making picks in this sport. The players the Mariners got are nowhere near sure things, all in need of development but all with defined profiles for the M’s to build upon. Of the first six picks the Mariners made - all four of Saturday’s picks and the first two (out of 16) of Sunday’s picks - five are hitters, four of the hitters are from an SEC school, and three of those hitters are (currently) third basemen. All six of these early picks are coming into the system from college.

Seattle certainly wasn’t bucking early trends with the hitting selections, as teams across the league tapped batting talent in the early rounds. But regardless of trends and overall initial valuation consensus, the M’s (like most teams) view their picks as big swings with big (even if unlikely) potential.

“As Jerry (Dipoto, Mariners president of baseball operations) told me when I first took this job: he says, ‘every draft, you just think it’s like a 3-1 count: if it’s there, swing; if it’s not, don’t,’ and we stayed the course with that,” said Mariners scouting director Scott Hunter.

What do these players bring with them to the Seattle farm system, and what might be expected of them as they begin their professional careers?

24th overall: 3B Ace Reese, 21 years old, Mississippi State, $3.5 million (under slot value) signing bonus.

Baseball America overall grades: 55, average risk, 45 adjusted.

Other future value (FV) estimations: 45, high risk (FanGraphs); 45 (Over-Slot).