Mariners first-rounder Ace Reese is already at work speeding up his MLB timeline

The Mariners were understandably pleased they were able to take Ace Reese 24th overall in this year's draft, with the likes of Baseball America and MLB Pipeline ranking him at No. 12 and 18 respectively ahead of time. Media analysts and scouts raved about what a dangerous hitter he is, as highlighted by a .665 slugging percentage during three years in college. Well, he's living up to this reputation for the M's, in the process already leading to people adjusting their timelines for when he'll make it to the majors.

We appreciate there will be plenty of calmer heads telling others not to get too carried away, given that Reese has only played 13 games in Single-A Inland Empire. Still, this shouldn't minimize what he's already doing, batting .444 with seven multi-hit games. His viscous power is on full display, with a .689 slugging percentage and 11 RBI, which includes two home runs:

In one respect, what Reese is doing is living up to why the Mariners selected him in the first place. At the same time, as per Penelope Jennings of The Seattle Times, M's scouting director Scott Hunter said the 21-year-old was one of the best pure college power bats in this year's draft and "probably one of the top three hitters in the country". However, even they must be pleasantly surprised by just how good he's been, as well as how quickly he's coming along.

The Mariners will need to amend Ace Reese's ETA for the majors, but how soon could he arrive?

Hunter added that he never likes to put a timetable on a player, but was impressed by what Reese did for two years with Mississippi State, given that the SEC is a totally different animal these days. Plus, he's already the No. 8 prospect in the Mariners farm system for MLB Pipeline. Along these lines, officially speaking his current ETA for the majors is 2029, but why couldn't it be sooner?

Take Nick Kurtz as an example, as a player who started at Single-A after he was drafted in the first round in 2024 by the Athletics. He went on to make the majors in less than a year, and this season saw him selected to the All-Star Game for the first time. We appreciate this is an absolute best-case scenario for Reese, but that doesn't mean he can't still get the call-up to The Show ahead of schedule.

One thing which could impact Reese's timeline is still needing to prove he can play at third base, with him described by critics as both an average athlete and defensive player. In fairness, he's getting all the opportunities he needs at the hot corner with Inland Empire. However, he may end up at first base or even in left field, which would delay his ascent to the majors.

If things don't pan out defensively, the Plano, Texas native may well end up primarily being used as a designated hitter. Irrespective, if he keeps raking as he has done so far in Single-A, is it really that outlandish to think he could be in the majors by 2028 or even 2027? The sky's the limit for a player who's living up his name, with the Mariners in line to benefit over the coming years.

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