Seattle Mariners No Longer Have Most Slot Money For 2025 MLB Draft

A Thursday deal between the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays means the Mariners no longer have the biggest pool of cash to spend in the draft.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred gets ready to announce a pick at the 2024 MLB Draft on July 14, 2024, at Cowtown Coliseum. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays' trade Thursday of the 37th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft to the Baltimore Orioles for right-handed reliever Bryan Baker had an impact on the Seattle Mariners.

Baker is a solid reliever, but the big story is the pick the Orioles got in return for him. Per MLB prospect analyst Joe Doyle, the pick is worth $2,631,400. That gives Baltimore the 19th, 30th, 31st and 37th picks in the draft, which takes place Sunday, and a bonus pool of $19,144,500 to spend.

Per @Ken_Rosenthal, the Baltimore Orioles are receiving the No. 37 pick in the 2025 Draft from the Tampa Bay Rays in the Bryan Baker deal. The pick is worth $2,631,400.

The Orioles now own picks 19, 30, 31 and 37 and have the biggest bonus pool of any team at $19,144,500. pic.twitter.com/a4YlTiMgZQ

— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) July 10, 2025

This deal could either mean nothing for the rest of the league, or it could create ripple effects.

Teams aren't allowed to directly trade draft pool money or first round picks, but teams can deal the competitive balance picks, which gives teams bigger slot pools. The 37th pick the O's acquired is a competitive balance pick.

The Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels and Mariners have the top three picks in the draft (in order) and have the three largest bonus pools in the draft, after the Orioles. There's a lot of elite talent to choose from with the top three picks. There will be players who could be selected in that range who will fall down in the draft, who can be signed over the pick's slot value.

Teams forced to go deeper into their pool to sign their top picks may look to add more money, which could lead to Baltimore making another trade.

The Orioles have placed a huge value on their picks in recent seasons. Most of their major league core, such as Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday, were all drafted and developed by Baltimore. But the team is in the middle of a down season, and there might be a focus in leveraging that pick and extra bonus pool money to net an immediate contributor or major league-ready prospects.

Related Minor League Baseball stories

TOP PUBLICATION PREDICTS MARINERS TO DRAFT ELITE COLLEGE SHORTSTOP: Baseball America joined a long list of analysts and publication to mock Oregon State shortstop Aiva Arquette to the Mariners. CLICK HERE

MARINERS TRIPLE-A AFFILIATE PULLS OFF INCREDIBLE RARE PLAY: Two corner infielders in Tacoma turned a web-gem play for the first time in at least two decades of club history. CLICK HERE

MLB INSIDER ALSO PROJECTS MARINERS TO DRAFT ELITE COLLEGE SHORTSTOP: The Athletic's Keith Law reaffirmed his belief that the Mariners will select one of the best college hitters available in the 2025 draft. CLICK HERE

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