Minor League Baseball

Seattle Mariners' Top Draft Picks Named Top 30 Prospects by Publication

The Mariners' first two picks in the 2025 MLB Draft instantly became two of the team's best prospects, according to Baseball America.
Teren Kowatsch|
LSU pitcher Kade Anderson throws during an NCAA Super Regional game against West Virginia on June 7 at Alex Box Stadium.
LSU pitcher Kade Anderson throws during an NCAA Super Regional game against West Virginia on June 7 at Alex Box Stadium. | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners had one of the best classes in this year's 2025 MLB Draft, and the team's top two selections are already considered among the organization's best prospects.

Baseball America released their list of updated top 30 prospects for every team. On the Mariners' list of top 30 prospects were left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson (No. 2) and catcher Luke Stevenson (No. 12).

Seattle drafted Anderson with the No. 3 overall pick out of LSU. He led NCAA Division I in strikeouts (180) and innings pitched (119) and was named the NCAA College World Series most outstanding player. Baseball America had the following scouting report on the 20-year-old southpaw:

Anderson begins his motion with an extremely small sidestep that leads into a high leg lift. He has a short and compact arm action and attacks from a high three-quarters slot with above-average arm speed. Anderson’s fastball sits in the 92-95 range, but has been up to 97 with plus carry in the top of the zone. The biggest revelation in Anderson’s arsenal in 2025 was his mid-80s slider—a pitch he threw just 2% of the time in 2024. It emerged as an above-average offering that flashes plus with lateral life, and garnered a 30% miss rate.

Stevenson was selected by the Mariners with their Competitive Balance Round A pick (No. 35 overall). He was a two-year starter at North Carolina after winning starting catcher job as a freshman. He helped lead the Tar Heels to the NCAA College World Series in 2024 and the Super Regionals in 2025. He slashed .251/.414/.552 with a .966 OPS to go with 19 home runs and 58 RBIs. Baseball America had the following scouting report on him:

Stevenson is an above-average defender who embraces the role of being a team leader behind the plate. Stevenson is excellent at getting the umpire to widen his strike zone by an inch or two to both sides of the plate, and he has the quick hands to drag low pitches into the zone. Stevenson will flash plus pop times thanks to above-average arm strength as well as a quick transfer and his ability to explode out of his crouch. There are concerns about how much Stevenson will hit. He has a pull-focused, power-oriented approach that comes with plenty of patience and an ability to spit on pitches just off the plate—but it also comes with plenty of in-zone miss against quality pitches.

Related Minor League Baseball stories

MARINERS SIGN MAJORITY OF 2025 DRAFT CLASS: The Mariners announced deals with 19 of their 21 draftees and four undrafted free agents. CLICK HERE

TOP MARINERS INTERNATIONAL SIGNING NAMED DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE ALL-STAR: Yorger Bautista has drastically improved after a slow start to the season and was recognized for it. CLICK HERE

MLB.COM NAMES FAVORITE MARINERS PICK FROM 2025 DRAFT: The website seems as high on the Mariners' top selection as many other publications. CLICK HERE

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Teren Kowatsch
TEREN KOWATSCH

Teren Kowatsch is a staff writer for ''Minor League Baseball on SI'' and other "On SI'' baseball sites. He has been a writer for “On SI’’ for two years and is a graduate of the University of Idaho. You can follow him on Twitter @Teren_Kowatsch

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