Jeff Passan has at least 1 good take on how Mariners should handle Kade Anderson

Since starting his professional career, Kade Anderson has been even better than advertised. He's leading what's shaping up to be another immensely successful draft class for Seattle's pitching development program and his numbers are incredible.

Across 24.1 innings at the Double-A level, he has posted a 0.37 ERA with a 44.1% strikeout rate, 39.2% whiff rate, and 5.9% walk rate. He has caught the eye of experts across the sport, and some believe he has what it takes for the next big step.

Jeff Passan believes that Kade Anderson has already demonstrated that he's ready for the majors

In a recent conversation with Brock and Salk, ESPN's Jeff Passan pointed out how dominant Anderson has been with the Arkansas Travelers and how it necessitates an increase in competition. He even thinks the lefty is "big-league ready right now."

The only other option at this stage is a bump up to Double-A, and Passan believes that the latter is the right move.

"If the rotation stays healthy, they’re still going to be able to find a spot for him to contribute...And what Kade Anderson is down the stretch for the Mariners, that’s going to be one of the more interesting things I think that we discuss over the summer."

Jeff Passan

This vote of confidence should come with some key considerations. Seattle's rotation is crowded as is and barring a disastrous string of injuries, there's no room for Anderson to get regular starts. Instead, he could fill a long reliever role, a first step taken by many future aces such as David Price and Corbin Burnes, but that could present issues in his development as a starter.

What's less debatable is that Anderson is ready to be promoted, but a move to Triple-A is more fitting for the time being. He has undoubtedly looked incredible thus far but has only made five starts, failing to eclipse the six inning mark for any of those appearances. Spending some time in Tacoma could help him continue to build the endurance necessary for a full big league season, while still allowing him to tinker with what he has in preparation for his inevitable call up.

The Mariners are in no rush with Anderson and often emphasize the importance of players going at their own pace. At just 21 years old, he has plenty of time and club control before Seattle will have need of his services, but the organization should be doing what they can to make sure that he's ready when the time comes.

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