Fresh MLB mock draft will make Mariners fans hope against hope for a pitching steal

This year's draft is looking like another chance for the Mariners to prove why they're one of the best at identifying elite amateur talent. With a roster heavily skewed towards homegrown talent, it's probable that at least one future franchise player is currently on the board.

Some early guesses have the Mariners, whose first pick will be the 24th overall, focusing more on high-floor position player talent. Other industry experts believe that the organization will keep up their recent trend of taking a high-upside pitcher instead.

Baseball America predicts that the Mariners will take UCLA starter Logan Reddemann with their first pick

Logan Reddemann spent his first two college seasons with the University of San Diego, putting up solid numbers before transferring to UCLA for the 2026 season. Going from the West Coast Conference to the Big Ten was a big step up in competition but he pitched well overall, posting a 2.87 ERA with a 2.72 FIP and a 35.7% strikeout rate over 59.2 innings.

In Baseball America's most recent mock draft, Carlos Collazo noted that Reddemann's command is among the best in the class and was originally slated to go much higher in the first round but may slip this low as a result of his recent issues with arm fatigue, a problem that has kept him on the shelf for over a month.

This could create a tricky situation for the Mariners if they're intent on drafting him. If the injury isn't much of a concern for his future value, he could be taken off the board before Seattle gets to make their first selection. If other organizations are worried enough about the fatigue potentially negatively impacting his stuff down the road, he could come with long-term injury risk if taken.

As hard as they may try, the demands of modern pitching are a flight risk for any team. Injuries are more prevalent than ever and even with Seattle's top-of-the-line development, they haven't been immune to the adverse effects. Three key bullpen arms are currently on the injured list in Matt Brash, Gabe Speier, Carlos Vargas. Bryce Miller just recently made his season debut after being sidelined with oblique inflammation.

Naturally, the organization could also choose to go in a different, more risk-averse direction entirely but assuming they're able to get their hands on an undervalued pick like Reddemann, he has the potential to be yet another draft success story for the front office.

The front office hasn't exactly shied away from taking risks but they've all been calculated. This clever approach has allowed them to get consistently positive results out of the draft, putting them in a class of their own. Even when unorthodox picks like switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje fail to deliver compelling minor league results, they've been used to drive key trades to bolster the major league roster.

Whether they go with a consensus or dark horse pick, their track record suggests that they'll find a way to make it work.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow