Pick 76: Seattle Mariners select Cameron Cannon, 2B Arizona
With their third pick, the Mariners keep on the college performer bandwagon by selecting one of the best bats in the Pac-12, Cameron Cannon. The right-handed hitter doesn’t blow you away with his tools, but his production is off the charts.
In 2019, he has slashed .377/.466/.603 with 6 home runs and 25 doubles. Like Shewmake, Cannon makes consistent contact and has the control the zone profile the Mariners covet. He has a great looking swing and the high number of doubles suggest he could develop some serious power in the coming years.
Defensively, Cannon has all the tools to be a solid-average defender at second base. He came to the University of Arizona as a shortstop and played a lot of third base in the Cape Cod League. The versatility is a nice bonus, but his best fit on the diamond is at second base.
He’s not much of a base-stealer, but he does have average speed, or slightly above speed once he gets moving. You get a good look at his swing here (skip to the 44-second mark). While there is still some work to be done, Cannon has the ability to be a bat-first second baseman or a quality utility man for years at the big league level.
His “C the Z” approach, ability to hit line drives, emerging power potential, and average defensive abilities across the board make him a valuable add any farm system, and one the Mariners should strongly consider.