Rest of MLB should be terrified of Kade Anderson's entry in Mariners' pitching lab

The Seattle Mariners have established themselves as a team with a pitching factory. Since 2021, the team has successfully developed Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Bryan Woo into All-Stars. Bryce Miller and Logan Evans have also already put up good numbers in Seattle with career ERAs of 3.82 and 3.75, respectively.

Seattle's recent success at pitching development should already strike fear into the hearts of their opponents, but with their latest first-round draft choice, that fear likely grows.

Kade Anderson is the perfect prospect for the Mariners' pitching lab

Enter Kade Anderson, the third overall pick out of LSU. He's a left-handed pitcher who was considered by most draft analysts as the best college arm in the draft. He put together a 3.18 ERA and a 12-1 record across 19 starts in the SEC this spring. He struck out 180 batters in 119 innings and dominated during the College World Series, in which he led LSU to victory.

Anderson landing with the Mariners might be the scariest outcome for the rest of the MLB. Seattle does not need another ace, but if any pitcher in the draft had the best chance of becoming an ace, it is likely Anderson. The Mariners do need a left-handed starter, something they have not had since Robbie Ray in 2022.

Mariners minor-league pitching coordinator Quinn Cleary had high praise for Anderson in an interview with Anders Jorstad of Baseball America.

"The most exciting thing with Kade is that so much of his development is already done,” Cleary said. “He’s as advanced as any college pitcher I’ve seen.”

Anderson's average fastball velocity is around 92-95 miles per hour, with a peak velocity at 97. The Mariners will likely try to bump his average velocity into the upper nineties. His curveball is his highest graded pitch, however, and has been the weapon allowing him to rack up strikeouts at the college level.

If Anderson can develop as fast as fellow LSU graduate and former No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes did for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Mariners fans will be in for a real treat. Skenes was drafted in 2023 and has already started two All-Star games.

Anderson does not have to reach Skenes-level dominance to scare the rest of the league. Just the idea of the Mariners adding a high-level lefty into an already stacked rotation should be enough to make the rest of the AL West quiver.