The Mariners used the 24th pick in this year’s draft on Ace Reese, and early returns have only made the pick look better. Seattle knew it was getting a hitter with plenty of buzz - Baseball America had him at No. 12, while MLB Pipeline slotted him at No. 18 - and the reputation followed him in after a college career that featured a .665 slugging percentage over three years.
Now Reese is turning that pedigree into production almost immediately. He has played only 13 games in Single-A Inland Empire, but he’s already batting .444 with seven multi-hit games. The power has shown up too, with a .689 slugging percentage, 11 RBI and two home runs.
“Crushed. Ace Reese blasts his 2nd professional HR. pic.twitter.com/bxwrRW08pQ
- Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) August 19, 2026”
Seattle scouting director Scott Hunter told Penelope Jennings of The Seattle Times that the 21-year-old was one of the best pure college power bats in the draft and “probably one of the top three hitters in the country”. Hunter also said he never likes to attach a timetable to a player, but said he was impressed by Reese’s two years at Mississippi State, especially with the SEC as tough as it is now.
That kind of start is already forcing people to rethink Reese’s path. Officially, MLB Pipeline lists his major league ETA as 2029, but he’s also already the No. 8 prospect in the Mariners’ farm system, which only adds to the conversation about whether he can move faster than expected.
There’s precedent for a first-round bat flying through the minors, too. Nick Kurtz began at Single-A after the Athletics took him in the first round in 2024, reached the majors in less than a year and was an All-Star this season. That’s the dream scenario, and nobody is saying Reese has to match it - but it shows how quickly a player can force the issue.
The biggest variable may be where Reese ultimately fits defensively. Critics have labeled him an average athlete and average defender, and while he’s getting every chance at third base with Inland Empire, there’s still a possibility he winds up at first base, in left field or even mostly as a designated hitter. Any of those outcomes could affect how fast he reaches Seattle.
Even so, if the bat keeps carrying him the way it has in Single-A, it’s not hard to imagine the timeline moving up. Instead of 2029, 2028 or even 2027 starts to sound a lot less far-fetched.
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