The Mariners used the 24th overall pick on a different kind of Ace this year.
Ace Reese isn’t a pitcher like Logan Gilbert, George Kirby or 2025 top pick Kade Anderson. He’s a bat, and a loud one. Seattle grabbed the Mississippi State third baseman after a run of two straight big-power seasons, betting that his pop will play anywhere - and maybe especially well in a lefty-friendly park like T-Mobile.
Reese’s resume at Mississippi State backed up the selection. After transferring from Houston, the Texas native launched 21 homers as a sophomore while playing through a loose bone fragment in his left big toe, then followed that with 24 homers and a 1.152 OPS this season as the Bulldogs reached super regionals before losing to Georgia.
“It was a no-brainer for us in terms of his power,” Mariners farm director Justin Toole said. “The hit ability, the power, the ability to play on the dirt-I think those were a lot of the things that we were really excited about, and we were thrilled that he was there.”
The Mariners like the full package, not just the thunder. Reese is listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, hits from the left side, and after signing he took batting practice in Seattle and drove a few balls into the stands. He also spent time talking with fellow first-round infielders Cole Young and Colt Emerson, another sign that Seattle sees him fitting into the group quickly.
“The first thing you notice is he’s a big guy, big kid,” Toole said. “But you know the maturity, the professionalism, you got to see it at T-Mobile, just the conversations of the group, and just how well he fit in with that group.”
There’s still a question attached to Reese, though it’s about where he ends up on the field, not whether the bat plays. Some evaluators have wondered if first base or left field might be his long-term home. Seattle, at least for now, plans to keep him at third.
“We think he can stick at third,” Toole said. “Obviously, he’s a big athletic guy. We’re super excited to get him into the system.”
Elsewhere in the system, Double-A Arkansas lefthander Kade Anderson keeps mowing through the Texas League. After taking his first loss of the season on July 3 - a start in which he allowed two earned runs on three hits with nine strikeouts - he answered with five no-hit innings against Tulsa on July 24 and seven strikeouts.
He also worked a scoreless inning in the Futures Game on July 12. Through 17 professional starts, Anderson was 10-1 with a 1.13 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 87.2 innings.
That kind of run usually lands a pitcher near the top of the minor league ERA leaderboard. The article noted that the overall leader typically finishes in the mid-to-high 1.00s, and pointed to recent sub-1.50 seasons from Jonah Tong (1.43), Gavin Stone (2022), Blake Snell (1.41), Madison Bumgarner (1.46) and Justin Verlander (1.29).
Anderson isn’t the only arm turning heads in Arkansas. Ryan Sloan has put together a strong year of his own, posting a 3.50 ERA over 72 innings in 16 starts, with 88 strikeouts and only 13 walks.
The Mariners have also been moving position players quickly. Shortstop Felnin Celesten and center fielder Jonny Farmelo were both bumped to Double-A Arkansas on July 20 after standout runs at High-A Everett.
Celesten led the Northwest League with a .314 average and a .943 OPS, while adding 13 homers and 18 steals. Farmelo brought speed and extra-base pop too, leading the league with seven triples and stealing 26 bases, while also adding 17 doubles and 13 homers.
Outfielder Lazaro Montes reached Triple-A Tacoma on July 8 after dominating at Double-A Arkansas. In 79 games with the Travelers, he hit 25 homers and 11 doubles, then opened his Tacoma stint with three homers in 94 plate appearances over his first 18 games.
Michael Arroyo is another name trending upward. The left fielder/second baseman hit .287 with 10 homers in the pitcher-friendly setting at Double-A Arkansas, then followed that with a .333 average, three homers, seven doubles and a .918 OPS in his first 20 games at Triple-A Tacoma. Through July 31, he had 28 multi-hit games on the season, including nine in his first 18 games with Tacoma.
In Other News...
Jerry Dipoto Faces New Heat As Mariners Questions Keep Growing
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Dipoto has been one of the more recognizable executives in the sport for years, but the pressure around him has clearly grown as the Mariners continue to wrestle with performance questions. The contrast with a longtime executive like Forst, who was finally dismissed despite deep roots in one organization, is a reminder that tenure alone does not guarantee security when results start to slide, and it leaves Seattles next steps under an even brighter, less forgiving light. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Lose A Pitching Depth Piece As Mariners Pounce
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Kingham only just reached the majors and brings a background that stretches through the Mexican League and the minors, the kind of path that often makes pitchers interesting to clubs looking for inexpensive cover. For Seattle, the move is less about immediate headlines than keeping the organization stocked with options, especially as the season keeps asking for fresh innings. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Already Face An Uncomfortable Brendan Donovan Trade Reality
Brendan Donovan arrived in Seattle as one of the more interesting pieces in a three-team deal that was supposed to reshape the picture for all sides involved. The Mariners had reason to be optimistic after his strong start, but the early buzz has given way to a more complicated reality as the trade has delivered mixed results across the board, with the Cardinals and Rays also dealing with uneven returns from the players they picked up.
For Seattle, the concern is less about the original idea of the move and more about how quickly the shine has worn off. Donovans recent stretch has only added to the uncertainty, and the broader trade still looks like one of those deals where every club can point to promise without being able to claim much payoff just yet. [Read more 🡒]