Mariners Prospect Racks Up 11 Strikeouts in Second Double-A Start

He's yet to give up a run this year

Oct 4, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; A general view of 2025 MLB postseason signage before game one of the ALDS round between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

One of the Seattle Mariners' top pitching prospects continued his early-season dominance by tossing an absolute gem in his second career minor league game.

Left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson, Seattle's No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 18 overall prospect for 2026, threw five almost-perfect frames for the Double-A Arkansas Travelers on Friday. The 21-year-old gave up no runs, no hits, and only walked two, while striking out 11 in the Travelers' 5-0 win over the Wichita Wind Surge, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.

The 2025 third-overall draft pick has yet to surrender a run in his brief minor league career. In his first professional start on April 3, Anderson twirled four shutout innings, giving up five hits and walking one batter, while striking out six. That gives the southpaw 17 strikeouts and no runs allowed through his first two Double-A starts.

Kade Anderson isn't the only 2025 first-round draft pick standing out early

Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Kade Anderson is drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the third pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

While it's obviously still early in the careers of the 2025 draft class, a lot of young players who were selected in the first round last July are making strong first impressions. Anderson sticks out because not only has he dominated in his first two outings, but he's also doing so after jumping right to Double-A to begin his minor league journey.

The sixth pick in 2025, Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Seth Hernandez, has turned heads as well in his first two appearances in the minors. Unlike Anderson, though, Hernandez started the season at Single-A. He might not be there for long, however, after tossing four no-hit innings on Friday.

In terms of some hitters from the 2025 draft class, Colorado Rockies shortstop prospect Ethan Holliday, last year's fourth-overall pick, crushed his first home run of the season on Friday. The Milwaukee Brewers' first-round pick in 2025, infielder Andrew Fischer, made some noise earlier this spring in the World Baseball Classic while playing for Team Italy. And the Detroit Tigers' first-round selection last year, shortstop prospect Jordan Yost, hit a grand slam in his first major league spring training at-bat.

These are just a few of the names from last year's draft that baseball fans should keep an eye on. But with Anderson already dicing up hitters in Double-A, he could be among the first players from his draft class to make it to the big leagues.