SEATTLE - The Mariners spent the first day of the 2026 MLB Draft leaning hard into college talent, and by the time Saturday wrapped at T-Mobile Park, the pattern was clear.
Seattle made four picks in the first four rounds, and every one came from the college ranks. Three of those four were bats, a sign of how the board played out and how the Mariners chose to attack it.
“I think the high school depth wasn't as great (this year),” Seattle vice president of amateur scouting Scott Hunter said after Day 1. “There was a handful of high school arms we were interested in and there was probably two or three high school bats.
Moving money around was very difficult this year with so many teams with big singing bonus pool money. We tried in a couple areas to be aggressive but it really didn't work out. ...
We didn't chase it and we wound up making some really good decisions with Jake Brown and Nathan Taylor and, obviously, with (Trevor Lucas).”
Seattle’s second-round pick, No. 65 overall, was LSU outfielder Jake Brown, a player Hunter said offered the biggest physical upside among the club’s Day 1 selections. Brown’s speed stood out at the MLB Combine, and he’s still relatively new to the position after arriving at LSU as a two-way player.
At the plate, Brown put together a big season for the Tigers, hitting .309/.404/.642 with a 1.046 OPS in 42 games. He added seven doubles, 16 home runs and 49 RBIs.
“We had a great meeting with him at the combine,” Hunter said. “Just a really fun leader. ...
The way he'd talk about being in that clubhouse at LSU, it wasn't the same as the year before, how there was difficulties in culture and how he was kind of the leader that tried to keep that group together during a tough year stood out. But it was more about the player. ...
You see the progression of his offensive game improving. (He had) a little injury bug since early in the season, then he goes into the combine and he's one of the fastest guys there.”
Brown’s name also got a thumbs-up from a familiar face. Kade Anderson, Seattle’s first-round pick last year, was Brown’s roommate and texted Hunter after the selection to back the move.
With the third-round pick at No. 101, the Mariners turned to Cincinnati right-hander Nate Taylor. Taylor was drawn to Seattle because of the organization’s reputation for developing pitchers, and the fit makes sense on paper.
Taylor already shows solid feel for his secondary stuff, including a 60-grade slider, per MLB.com, and a 45-grade changeup. The next step for Seattle will be sharpening the fastball, which can reach 97 mph but sits around 93-94 mph.
“He's big, he's physical, he throws a ton of strikes, he misses a ton of bats,” Hunter said. “He's already got the feel, the spin (of) two breaking balls.
Probably could use his fastball a little bit more. Our (player development) group felt that there was a dial-turn or two that we could get even more out of what he's doing right now.”
Taylor posted a 3.60 ERA and struck out 115 batters in 90 innings over 16 starts for Cincinnati this season.
Seattle closed the day by taking UNC Wilmington third baseman Trevor Lucas at No. 129, giving the club its second third baseman of the draft.
Hunter called Lucas “Ben Williamson-lite,” while noting there may be a little more power in his bat than the former Seattle infielder brought to the table.
“Makes good swing decisions, makes ton of contact,” Hunter said. “We do believe he's a plus-defender at third base and there is some hope that he might be able to move around the field a little bit. Talking to our P.D. group, they believe they can add a little bit more bat speed and a little bit more impact.”
If the Williamson comparison holds, Seattle won’t mind. Williamson was one of the best defensive third basemen in baseball in 2025 during his half-season in the majors before the Mariners acquired Eugenio Suarez and optioned Williamson to Triple-A. Williamson was then traded to the Rays in a three-team deal this past offseason that brought the Mariners 2025 All-Star Brendan Donovan.
Lucas hit .312/.429/.556 with a .985 OPS in 58 games this season for UNC Wilmington. He finished with 12 doubles, a triple, 12 home runs and 56 RBIs.
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