Here's How Much Money the Seattle Mariners are Reportedly Signing Top Pick For

The Seattle Mariners drafted left-hander Kade Anderson out of LSU with the No. 3 draft pick, and they are allegedly getting a slight deal on him.
Starting pitcher Kade Anderson 32 on the mound as The LSU Tigers take on the West Virginia Mountaineers in game 1 of the 2025 NCAA Div 1 Super Regional Baseball Championship at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA. Saturday, June 7, 2025.
Starting pitcher Kade Anderson 32 on the mound as The LSU Tigers take on the West Virginia Mountaineers in game 1 of the 2025 NCAA Div 1 Super Regional Baseball Championship at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA. Saturday, June 7, 2025. | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:


UPDATE: 3:45 p.m. PT: According to Aram Leighton of Just BB Media, the M's are signing Anderson to a bonus of $8.8 million. That comes in slightly underslot, meaning the M's will have a little extra money to play with for the rest of their picks in the top 10 rounds. Seattle entered the draft with more than $17 million to spend in those 10 rounds. By saving a little on Anderson, perhaps they can entice a high school prospect to go pro, rather than go to college.

3:25 p.m. PT:

The Seattle Mariners have selected national champion left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson out of LSU with the No. 3 pick in the MLB Draft. Anderson is the highest-drafted Mariners player since Seattle took Mike Zunino out of Florida in 2012.

Anderson led LSU to the National Championship this season, as they swept Coastal Carolina in the College World Series finals. He led the nation in strikeouts with 180 in 119.0 innings. He posted a 12-1 record and a 3.18 ERA.

The ESPN panelists approved of the selection during television coverage of the draft on Sunday night, saying that Anderson may have the highest floor of any player in the draft. There are questions about velocity (93 mph average fastball), but insiders like his four-pitch mix.

Given that he's already pitched in the SEC - and dominated - there's certainly a chance that Anderson could be a fast riser through the M's system. Seattle's top pitching prospect currently is right-hander Ryan Sloan, who is pitching at Single-A Modesto. Seattle hasn't had a regular lefty in its rotation since Marco Gonzales in 2023.

If Anderson is able to rise fast, he could help alleviate concerns about the future of Seattle's rotation. Luis Castillo is a free agent after the 2027 season, as is Logan Gilbert. George Kirby is a free agent after 2028. Might Anderson be ready to take one of their spots eventually?

The Mariners swept the Detroit Tigers this past weekend to hit the All-Star break at 51-45 overall. They are in second place in the American League West.

Related Stories on Seattle Mariners

NEW PODCAST IS HERE: Brady is live in New York for the series with the Yankees and he talks about the frustration of the first two games, but says Seattle can still accomplish what it needs to. Furthermore, it's a packed guest list as Ben Williamson stops by, as does George Kirby's high school coach! Also, Joe Doyle of Overslot talks about the M's and the No. 3 pick in the draft. CLICK HERE:

TWO WORDS FOR JULIO RODRIGUEZ: When it comes to Rodriguez and his struggles, two words come to mind. CLICK HERE:

PITCH-TIPPING? What was going on with Andres Munoz and his pitch-tipping on Thursday, and who is to blame for how it all transpired? CLICK HERE:

Follow Seattle Mariners on SI on social media

Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on "X" @Teren_Kowatsch and @RefuseToLosePod. You can subscribe to the "Refuse to Lose" podcast by clicking HERE.


Published | Modified
Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is the senior writer for “Minor League Baseball on SI’’ and the host of “The Payoff Pitch’’ podcast, which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. Follow Brady on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady.