Seattle Mariners 2019 MLB 3 Round Mock Draft 1.0

97. Nick Kahle C, University of Washington

https://twitter.com/UW_Baseball/status/1115025532012249088

What? Two catchers in the first 3 rounds? Well, remember, the MLB Draft isn’t about needs. You take the best talent you can get and figure it out later. Could the Mariners end up with 3 starting caliber catchers in 3 years? Yes. Does it matter? No.

Depth is always a good thing, especially at catcher. But unlike Raleigh and McCann, Nick Kahle should have no issue sticking at catcher. It is unlikely he will be Mike Zunino behind the dish but should be solid-average or better.

But the team selecting Kahle won’t be taking him for his glove, although it’s a nice bonus. Instead, they’ll be interested in his bat. After a decent freshman year, Kahle returned to campus and should an impressive bat as a sophomore.

He slashed .293/.392/.457 in 2018, showing power potential with 6 home runs and 20 doubles. Kahle went to the Cape Cod League and really struggled with wood bats which have hurt his prospect profile entering 2019.

But now, Kahle is putting up numbers that can’t be ignored. Thus far in 2019, he is slashing .416/.547/.623 in 23 games. The .547 OBP ranks in the Top 10 in all of college baseball. Perhaps most impressive is Kahle’s 9:23 K/BB ratio.

So here we have a solid defensive prospect who doesn’t strike out, takes more than his share of walks, and is growing into power? Sign me up. Kahle won’t show up on many draft prospect sights, but the backstop in Montlake is definitely one worth watching.

Scouting Grades- Hit: 50 Power: 45 Run: 40 Arm: 50 Field: 50 Overall: 45

There you have it. The first of several mock drafts on the site. The draft is fast approaching, but very few things have been leaked. Seattle is typically quiet, but the “experts” have basically pegged their first-round pick the past 2 seasons.

Be on the lookout for these reports. As we get more information, our mock will grow and change. But for now, this group is a solid return from 4 Top 100 picks. This draft isn’t the best, but there is still an opportunity to add both impact prospects and solid lottery tickets along the way.