Ranking the Seattle Mariners' 3 dream options for No. 3 pick in MLB Draft

The Seattle Mariners are just a day away from making their highest selection in the MLB Draft since 2012. They'll have the No. 3 pick on Sunday, for which they can thank MLB's lottery system for doing them an unexpected solid.

In the weeks and months leading up to the draft, the Mariners have been connected to a seemingly endless parade of different options with the third overall pick. All three elite college lefties. The top high school arm in the draft. A local star shortstop. A catcher/outfielder hybrid with a thunderous bat. Seriously, you name it.

This is to say that there is now slam-dunk favorite for the Mariners at No. 3, and even they seem unsure of who to gravitate toward. Yet for our part, we have our own notions as to which prospects Jerry Dipoto and the brass should want the most.

Ranking the Mariners' 3 best options for the No. 3 pick in the MLB Draft

1. LHP Kade Anderson, Louisiana State

MLB Pipeline's latest mock has Anderson going No. 1 to the Washington Nationals, and that generally does seem to be the way the wind is blowing. As such, it's perhaps a fool's errand to hope that either the Nationals or the Los Angeles Angels (who have the No. 2 pick) will leave him for the Mariners.

Still, there's nothing wrong with having a little hope. And in this case, the 21-year-old Anderson is worth it.

The 6-foot-2, 179-pound southpaw is fresh off leading LSU to a national championship, for which he did his part by striking out 180 batters in 119 innings. MLB Pipeline gives him plus grades across the board, with his fastball and changeup grading out as his best tools.

The Mariners' farm system is already stacked, with nine of their prospects ranking within MLB Pipeline's top 100. Yet seven of those are position players, with the only exceptions being switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje and right-hander Ryan Sloan.

Teams don't generally draft according to need, but the Mariners would have to consider doing so if Anderson is available. With Luis Castillo aging and Logan Gilbert and George Kirby running short on club control, the major league rotation is going to need reinforcements soon.

2. RHP Seth Hernandez, Corona High School (CA)

If the Mariners do get a shot at Anderson and take it, they'll be running a play that has resulted in plenty of success. Before they were MLB aces, Gilbert, Kirby, Bryan Woo, and Bryce Miller were collegiate pitchers.

Yet in picking Sloan in the second round last year — and by signing him to an over-slot bonus at $3 million — the Mariners signaled a willingness to take a big swing on a high school pitcher. It's already looking like a hit, as Sloan has forced his way into MLB Pipeline's top 100 amid a terrific debut season for Single-A Modesto.

Apropos of this, Anderson is the best prep pitcher in this year's draft class and he may well still be on the board when the Mariners are on the clock. The 19-year-old is a sturdy 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, with a fastball that touches the high 90s. There's probably more velocity to be found there, and he also gets above average grades for his curveball, slider, changeup, and control.

Hernandez would likely need a couple years in the minors before making his MLB debut with the Mariners, but that's OK. His arrival may well perfectly coincide with the end of Gilbert's (after 2027) and Kirby's (after 2028) club control.

3. SS/3B Ethan Holliday, Stillwater High School (OK)

There has been weirdly little buzz about the Mariners taking Holliday if he's there at No. 3. Which is interesting, because he may well be available given that the aforementioned MLB Pipeline mock has him going No. 4 to the Colorado Rockies, for whom his father, Matt, was a three-time All-Star.

If the Mariners can't get Anderson or Hernandez, they may be more likely to aim a little lower as a means to save some of their ample bonus pool — it's the second-largest for any team at a little over $17 million — for potential steals with later picks. To wit, this is how they scored Sloan last year.

Or, they could do the simple thing if Holliday is staring them in the face at No. 3: go ahead and take him. Holliday is arguably the No. 1 prospect in this draft class, and he packs a bit more punch than his older brother, Jackson, who went first overall to the Baltimore Orioles in 2022.

Still just 18 years old, Holliday is 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds with well above average power from the left side of the plate. Even if he doesn't stick at shortstop, he has upside as an annual 30-home run hitter as a regular at third base.

Further, the Mariners are on a hot streak with using first-round picks on high school hitters. This is how Harry Ford (2021), Cole Young (2022), Jonny Farmelo (2023), and Colt Emerson (2023) joined the organization, and all three are now top-100 prospects.