Inside The Mariners

Here's What Seattle Mariners Top Scouting Exec Said After Conclusion of MLB Draft

The Mariners drafted several interesting players with their last 10 picks of the draft, and Scott Hunter addressed them after the event was over.
Teren Kowatsch|
Florida catcher Luke Heyman hits an RBI single in an NCAA World Series game against Kentucky on June 19, 2024, at Charles Schwab Field.
Florida catcher Luke Heyman hits an RBI single in an NCAA World Series game against Kentucky on June 19, 2024, at Charles Schwab Field. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

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Seattle Mariners

SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners will likely be considered one of the winners of in the immediate aftermath of the MLB Draft, which concluded on Monday afternoon.

On Day 2 of the draft, the Mariners picked an interesting array of prospects, including several pitchers who missed their last college seasons with injuries, power-hitting catchers, a pitcher who really wanted to join the Mariners, an outfielder who could be one of the best Day 2 picks of the entire draft and a shortstop who might be due for a position change.

"Obviously an exciting (draft) for us as an organization," Seattle vice president of amateur scouting Scott Hunter said after the draft Monday. "With all 20 rounds and most of the draft done in one day, it was a little bit unique for us. But very proud of our staff being able to make some decisions on the fly and get some things done that we think, not only at the top of our draft, but hopefully we'll have some surprises in the later rounds."

The M's highest-value Day 2 pick might have been its fifth-round selection.

The Mariners drafted Indiana outfielder Korbyn Dickerson with the No. 152 overall pick. He was MLB Pipeline's No. 83 prospect in the draft.

"We actually thought Korbyn was gonna go a lot higher in this year's draft and when he started to slip a little bit, our guys keep saying 'it's a tools play, he can really run, he's got real power,'" Hunter said. "He was a transfer from (Louisville), didn't get to play much his freshman year and only really has one year of college baseball under his belt. Obviously there's some holes to his game that we think we can help, but the underlying foundation of his power, his speed, his size — we think he can run around center field, if not play all three (outfield spots) — but we do believe in the power and the speed, which is a very unique combination, obviously."

Dickerson's selection was in between a stretch of pitching selections for Seattle. Twelve of the organization's 17 Day 2 selections were hurlers. Two of them, including Appalachian State righty Jackson Steensma and Nova Southeastern righty Anthony Karoly, are coming off Tommy John surgeries.

The Mariners have made it a habit to find high-end prospects or major league contributors with their Day 2 draft picks. Starting pitcher Bryan Woo, who earned his first career All-Star nod this season, was drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 draft. Hunter is high on the potential of Steensma, who was drafted with the 272nd pick in the ninth round.

"I think we went into the injured bucket a little bit of guys that had some Tommy John surgeries. Steensma from Appalachian State really weighed in on us that we should take an opportunity. ... Steensma, he's a power arm, he's a big body, he's a horse of a human being that can eat innings. When he's healthy, he's also up to 96 (mph), our scouts really liked what they saw prior to the injury, but also our analytics teams said there some things where, 'hey this is worth a shot.'"

Included in that crop of pitchers is Yale product Colton Shaw, who Seattle drafted in the seventh round with the 212th pick. The Mariners third and second-to-last draft picks, Virginia Tech right-hander Griffin Stieg and high school southpaw Cameron Appenzeller, aren't expected to sign. Stieg has NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money left with Virginia Tech. Appenzeller, MLB Pipeline's No. 58 draft prospect, is expected to honor his commitment to Tennessee.

Shaw was another player who informed interested teams he wouldn't sign with them. His agent was about to inform the Mariners he wouldn't sign with them either, but Shaw cleared the confusion.

"Shaw actually turned down two or three other organizations," Hunter said. "And there was a funny moment that (his) agent thought he was turning down another organization, and it was us, and then the kid called right away and said 'no, I want to be with the Mariners. I don't want to be with those other teams.' He had a connection with one of our pitching coaches and knew the history of what we've done with pitching."

Shaw, Steensma and the rest of the newly-drafted pitchers might be joined in respective minor league staffs by Seattle's last draft pick, Notre Dame shortstop Estevan Moreno. Hunter said Moreno impressed several scouts with his defensive skill set and high throw throw speed, which

Shaw, Steensma and the rest of the newly-drafted pitchers will also have options of catchers to throw to. Seattle selected North Carolina backstop Luke Stevenson with the No. 35 overall pick. The Mariners added more catchers on Day 2: Dallas Baptist's Grant Jay (No. 362 pick) and Florida's Luke Heyman (No. 422 overall pick).

"Can never have enough catching. But we also look at the hitter and the value, obviously. The value outweighs the positions a lot of the times, because we're not just gonna take catching to say we have catchers and bodies within our organization. But with an organization that has so much pitching, it's always good to have a few guys that can catch them."

Seattle's farm system was already one of the deepest in baseball, aside from its nine top 100 prospects. This draft may have pushed the organization over the edge as being the best.

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Teren Kowatsch
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