Mariners Call Up Top Pitching Prospect Anderson — SkimNews
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- Kade Anderson was called up by the Seattle Mariners to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs, with the 22-year-old left-hander ranked as the best pitching prospect in baseball.
- Anderson went 10-1 with a 1.06 ERA in 18 Double-A Arkansas starts, striking out 135 and walking 13 in 93⅓ innings while allowing just 47 hits and 11 runs, and held opponents scoreless in 13 of those outings.
- The Mariners are 60-68 and among baseball's most disappointing teams, coming off a seven-game ALCS loss to Toronto last season, making the promotion a potential lift for an underperforming rotation.
- Anderson was selected third overall by Seattle in the 2025 draft out of LSU and signed for $8.8 million — the second-highest figure in the draft, just behind shortstop Ethan Holliday's $9 million from Colorado.
- Evaluators told ESPN that Anderson's mid-90s fastball had effectiveness questions with the MLB ball during spring training, but his off-speed stuff is elite enough that they expect him to thrive.
- Bryan Woo will have his start moved back to accommodate Anderson; Seattle's rotation has a 3.83 ERA, fifth in the AL behind New York, Detroit, Tampa Bay and Cleveland.
Why it matters: Anderson's promotion gives a 60-68 Seattle team a potential boost for a rotation carrying a 3.83 ERA (fifth in the AL) as it tries to salvage its postseason hopes. His $8.8 million signing as the No. 3 pick — the second-largest bonus in the 2025 draft — reflects the franchise's investment in a foundational piece beyond this season.
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