Kade Anderson is headed to the big leagues, and Seattle is giving its top pitching prospect the call.
The Mariners are promoting the left-hander from Double-A, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Anderson is expected to make his MLB debut Saturday against the Chicago Cubs at T-Mobile Park.
The 22-year-old enters the majors with plenty of buzz. Seattle drafted him third overall out of LSU last year, and MLB.com has him ranked as baseball’s top pitching prospect and No. 5 overall.
Anderson has needed only one minor-league stop to reach this point, and he’s been overwhelming hitters at Double-A Arkansas. In 18 starts, he went 10-1 with a 1.06 ERA and a 0.64 WHIP, striking out 135 while walking just 13. He allowed only 47 hits and four home runs across 93 1/3 innings.
His college résumé is just as loud. The Louisiana native was named the 2025 College World Series MVP after leading LSU to the CWS title.
Seattle hasn’t said how it plans to handle his first run in the majors, but unless the club uses a piggyback arrangement, the move would likely send one of its veteran starters to the bullpen. Bryan Woo is currently listed as the starter for Saturday, while Bryce Miller, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Emerson Hancock make up the rest of the rotation.
The Mariners’ rotation has been one of the team’s strengths again this season, even if it hasn’t quite reached the level many expected. That depth has mattered in a year that has gone sideways overall. Seattle kept most of its starting core together and also dealt Luis Castillo to the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline.
The bigger picture is ugly enough: after reaching the ALCS for the first time since 2001 last season, the Mariners are 60-68 in 2026. Following Thursday’s loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, they sit three games back of a playoff spot with five teams ahead of them.
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