Latest 2025 MLB mock drafts will get Mariners fans hyped for No. 3 pick

It’s genuinely wild that the Seattle Mariners landed the third overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Considering they were nowhere near the worst teams in baseball last season, this was a massive stroke of luck and a huge win from the relatively new draft lottery system.

The Mariners were on the fringes of playoff contention in 2024, and were widely expected to pick somewhere in the mid-teens in the first round of the 2025 draft. With just a 0.5 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick, them jumping all the way up to No. 3 is borderline miraculous.

For a franchise that’s already proven they can draft and develop talent better than almost anyone under president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, this could be a franchise-altering moment. Seattle’s player development system has thrived under Dipoto and scouting director Scott Hunter, turning prospects like Cal Raleigh, Bryce Miller, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Julio Rodríguez into All-Star and MVP caliber big leaguers.

Come summertime, they will be adding more premium talent into that machine — and that’s a terrifying thought for the rest of the league.

Mariners land Florida State ace Jamie Arnold in MLB.com's latest 2025 MLB mock draft

According to Rob Terranova of MLB.com, the Mariners are projected to take Jamie Arnold, the dominant left-hander out of Florida State with the No. 3 pick.

Arnold has been lighting up college baseball in 2025, flashing elite command, a fastball that touches the upper 90s, and a devastating breaking ball. He’s struck out hitters at a ridiculous clip while limiting walks, and his presence on the mound just screams “future ace.”

For the Mariners, this is particularly intriguing because they haven’t drafted a true top-of-the-class college left-hander since Danny Hultzen over a decade ago — and that didn’t work out. But with the way the Mariners have refined arms in recent years, Arnold could thrive in Seattle’s development pipeline.

Adding a talent like Arnold to a rotation that already features young studs like Kirby, Miller, and Bryan Woo would give Seattle one of the scariest pitching cores in baseball for years to come.

Baseball America predicts Mariners strike gold with Ethan Holliday in 2025 MLB mock draft

But there’s another scenario that’s just as exciting. Baseball America has the Mariners going in a different direction, predicting they take yet another high school shortstop, Ethan Holliday, son of former MLB star Matt Holliday.

Holliday brings something Seattle desperately needs: impact offense. While the Mariners have built an impressive run-prevention machine, their lineup has often struggled to score runs consistently. Holliday is a potential franchise cornerstone — a left-handed bat with power, plate discipline, and athleticism. He has the tools to be an All-Star infielder who anchors the middle of a lineup for a decade. His upside is immense, and in a system, that’s proven it can mold raw talent into stars, Holliday could be the answer to Seattle’s offensive woes.

No matter which direction they go — whether it’s adding a potential ace in Jamie Arnold or a middle-of-the-order bat with superstar level upside like Ethan Holliday — the Mariners are in a win-win position. The lottery handed them a golden ticket, and now it’s up to Dipoto and company to cash it in. With the third overall pick, a loaded farm system, and a roster full of young talent, the Mariners are perfectly positioned to make a major leap toward sustained contention.