The Seattle Mariners are entering the new season with momentum, as they have achieved five consecutive winning seasons and came within one game of reaching the World Series last October, according to a March 16 report. The team has also strengthened its roster by trading for Brendan Donovan and Jose A. Ferrer during the offseason, while maintaining one of the strongest farm systems in baseball.
This depth is highlighted by two top pitching prospects: left-hander Kade Anderson and right-hander Ryan Sloan. Anderson, selected third overall in the 2025 Draft from Louisiana State University, and Sloan, picked in the second round in 2024 out of an Illinois high school, both stand out for their advanced skills at a young age. Anderson has impressed during Spring Training with his ability to strike out established major leaguers and is considered nearly ready for professional play. “The big thing that has jumped out at us is Kade’s compete factor,” said Justin Toole, Mariners director of player development. “You see him on the back fields facing Cal and Julio, and he doesn’t care. He goes after them and he’s calm, composed and confident. We knew he was competitive, but it’s even better than anticipated. He’s gained some weight, gotten stronger and his stuff has ticked up.”
Sloan drew comparisons to Gerrit Cole during his high school career due to his physicality and pitching repertoire but was available for Seattle at pick number 55 because teams are often cautious about drafting high school right-handers early. In his first professional season last year, Sloan posted a 3.73 ERA over 82 innings across two Class A teams. Toole said of Sloan: “We had high expectations for Ryan and he has exceeded all of those… His velocity is up and that should help his four-seamer shape. He’s added a two-seamer this spring to give him another look and he has a little bit of a cutter, too.” Toole added that improving command late in counts will be key for Sloan’s continued development.
Other notable prospects include Colt Emerson—who reached Triple-A at age 20—and Yorger Bautista from Venezuela who will make his U.S debut this May after showing power potential in the Dominican Summer League. Emerson’s defensive improvements have solidified his role as an everyday shortstop prospect; Toole said: “The bat-to-ball skills are obvious and the advancements Colt has made at shortstop have been impressive… Now we feel good that he’s an everyday shortstop.” Meanwhile, Bautista brings strong tools including power from the left side.
Seattle’s focus on college pitchers in recent drafts continues with Lucas Kelly (Arizona State) and Casey Hintz (Arizona), both set to pitch in an upcoming Spring Breakout game against Milwaukee. Grant Knipp is another player to watch as he returns from Tommy John surgery; drafted as a two-way player last year before injury sidelined him, Knipp will resume duties as both reliever and designated hitter this spring.
With these prospects developing alongside established talent on the major league roster, observers expect Seattle’s farm system to continue playing a significant role in supporting future playoff runs.
