Ace Reese’s first day as a Mariner came with a contract, a few swings at T-Mobile Park, and a quick reminder that Seattle believes his bat can travel.
The Mississippi State third baseman, selected by the Mariners with their first overall pick of the 2026 MLB Draft at No. 24 overall, officially signed with the club on Tuesday before Seattle’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. Reese also joined pregame workouts at the ballpark, giving fans an early look at the player the organization is betting on.
Reese arrived with a strong reputation coming out of the SEC. He was widely viewed by draft and prospect analysts as one of the conference’s top hitters this past season, and his numbers backed that up: a .336/.432/.721 slash line, a 1.152 OPS, 23 doubles, 24 home runs and 74 RBIs in 62 games for Mississippi State.
Seattle has now signed 18 of the 20 players it selected in the 2026 draft.
Reese’s agent, Scott Boras, made the case for the pick in a pregame interview Tuesday, pointing to the kind of power the Mariners are hoping plays anywhere.
"Power in the big leagues and power in Seattle is a commodity," Reese's agent, Scott Boras, said in a pregame interview Tuesday. "Certainly, Ace brings that.
You can see - he's got man strength. When you can come into this ballpark and put them in the seats just like the major leaguers can - he really has excellent bat-to-ball skills."
And on Tuesday, Reese showed why that profile has people talking. Even with T-Mobile Park carrying its usual reputation for being a difficult place to hit, he sent several balls out during batting practice.
"Man, it was fun," Reese said in a pregame interview Tuesday. "It looks like the ball's flying today, got some out. So yeah, it was fun."
He also had a familiar face beside him in Emerson, his batting practice partner for Tuesday and someone he’s known since they were kids playing on the circuit together. Emerson, who turned 21 on Monday, has already picked up major league lessons from Cole Young, the Mariners’ first-round pick and 2025 call-up, and passed some of that along to Reese.
Dan Wilson said that chain of mentorship is part of what makes the game work.
"I think that's the beauty of mentoring someone," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a pregame interview Tuesday. "That person then becomes the mentor for somebody else.
That's really what it's all about. In baseball, especially major league baseball, there's just been a long tradition and long history of that.
Most players can point to a guy that took them under his wing when they got to the big leagues. It's just really cool to see that come to fruition. ...
Loved seeing that go on today."
Reese is scheduled to head to the team’s spring training facility in Peoria, Ariz., on Wednesday as he begins preparing for his first full professional season in 2027.
"That's why you play the game, is for the big moment," Reese said. "You put in all the hard work all year, you're there and that's why you do it. ...
I think playing in the SEC for the past two-three years, that's the highest level of college baseball. Doing that the last two-three years has gotten me really ready for this moment."
In Other News...
Mariners May Have Finally Found A Deadline Answer To Their Lefty Problem
Seattles search for a left-handed pitching fix has become one of the more practical questions facing the front office, especially with the lineup still looking for a right-handed bat that can hold up when southpaws are on the mound. The market has been thin enough that even a player who was not the loudest name on the board has started to look like a real fit, particularly given the way he has hit over the past several weeks and the fact that his contract would not force the club into a major financial stretch.
Rob Refsnyders uncertain return only adds to the urgency, because the Mariners cannot keep waiting for a clean internal answer to appear. Another option has been discussed as well, but the broader point is the same: Seattle needs someone who can step in, survive left-on-left matchups and give the roster a little more balance before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners May Already Be Running Out Of Time With Cole Young
Cole Young has become one of the quiet constants in Seattles season, showing up in all 101 games and giving the Mariners production that has steadily pushed his profile upward. The young middle infielder leads the team in bWAR, has been especially effective with runners in scoring position, and even delivered a key three-run homer in a comeback win, the kind of moment that only adds to the sense that his value is climbing fast.
That is where the bigger question starts to hover over the Mariners. Young is no longer just a promising piece to dream on, he is already performing like someone the organization may need to think seriously about keeping around for the long haul, especially with the market for middle infielders getting more expensive by the year. Seattle has already shown a willingness to make major commitments to core players, and the longer Young keeps stacking up games like this, the harder it gets to imagine the price staying manageable. [Read more 🡒]