What Does the Kade Anderson Draft Selection Mean For Future of Seattle Mariners?

The Mariners selected the LSU hurler with the No. 3 pick in the draft this weekend, but does it have any bearing on what's coming down the road for Seattle?

LSU Tigers starting pitcher Kade Anderson (32) pitches against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the seventh inning at Charles Schwab Field on June 14. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners appear to have struck gold in the MLB Draft this past weekend, selecting LSU pitcher Kade Anderson with the No. 3 pick.

Anderson led LSU to the national title this past season, going 12-1 and leading the nation in strikeouts with 180. He was projected to be the No. 1 overall pick by several pundits leading up to the event.

The M's have already said he won't pitch at all this season, but he'll be ready for spring training in 2026, and it sounds like he could rise fast through the system, maybe even appearing in the big leagues in 2026. If that doesn't happen, he could certainly be an option for the rotation in 2027.

Here's the full excerpt of @Mariners Vice President of Amateur Scouting Scott Hunter talking about how Seattle will be cautious with LHP Kade Anderson after a long workload this past season + Tommy John surgery in 2022.#TridentsUp #SeattleMariners #MLBDraft https://t.co/FWLB9f0xBU pic.twitter.com/1Vjfm2Yztq

— Circling Seattle Sports (@CirclingSports) July 14, 2025

So how does his selection impact the Mariners moving forward? It could affect them a great deal, as we discussed on the most recent edition of the Refuse to Lose podcast:

If Kade Anderson is going to be Major League ready by 2027, and certainly kind of ready to, to be in your rotation by 2028, does that mean the Seattle Mariners are free to move somebody from the rotation? I would wonder if that is an affirmative yes. And whether that is Luis Castillo this off season or whether that is Logan Gilbert or George Kirby moving forward, I don't know, but I think if you think you have a major league pitcher coming up fast in the holster, yes, I think it gives you the freedom to potentially deal somebody, or maybe it gives them the freedom to deal Emerson Hancock or deal Logan Evans. Maybe that's what they do in response to having Kade Anderson, but I think it's all on the table here, okay? I would be very interested in finding out what exactly they think about the future of their rotation because you cannot keep everybody, so who are you not going to keep and therefore who does Kade Anderson kind of backfill the slot for?

Castillo is a free agent after the 2027 season, though there is a vesting option for 2028. Gilbert is a free agent after the 2027 campaign and Kirby is a free agent after 2028.

You can listen to the full podcast below:

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