The Mariners spent their two Day 1 picks in the MLB Draft on the same kind of bat: left-handed SEC sluggers. First came Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese at No.
- Then Seattle stayed on script and took LSU outfielder Jake Brown at No.
That choice puts the Mariners squarely against the direction plenty of other clubs seemed to be leaning on Saturday. As the draft unfolded, and as Mike Axisa of CBS Sports also pointed out, bat-to-ball ability was getting plenty of attention. Seattle, though, went with upside and power, even if Brown comes with some real questions attached.
The biggest concern is the contact profile. Several scouting reports have flagged Brown’s left-on-left splits, and Baseball America added another layer of caution by noting that the 21-year-old struck out 24.4 percent of the time against SEC pitching, compared to 16.9 percent overall. That kind of swing-and-miss can get exposed quickly once a player moves into pro ball, where the pitching gets deeper, nastier and far less forgiving.
Still, Brown isn’t just a one-tool bet. He signed for $1.4 million, and there’s enough raw talent here to make him an interesting gamble.
His power took a noticeable step forward in 2026, when he hit 16 homers in 42 games after going deep eight times in 64 games in 2025. That jump came after a deliberate effort to lift the ball and pull more of it in the air, a classic route to more pop.
Brown’s season ended early because of a broken hamate, but the power surge was real. He was part of an LSU team that rode Kade Anderson’s left arm to the College World Series in 2025, and the bat is what gives Brown his appeal.
The upside goes beyond the home run total, too. Joe Doyle of Over-Slot called him a “Crazy athlete with loads of untapped potential.”
The key, as with Reese, is whether Seattle can help him keep the power while sharpening the rest of the offensive package. If that happens, Brown could turn into a much more complete hitter.
For now, the Mariners have made their preference clear: power first, contact second. Whether that proves to be the smarter play is the part everyone will be watching.
In Other News...
Mariners Enter Draft Day Facing A Problem Fans Will Want Explained
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The catch is that the Mariners are working with less flexibility than some of their peers after moving a competitive balance pick, which trimmed both their draft capital and their bonus-pool room. That is why evaluators expect Seattle to lean toward college players, where the clubs limited spending power and reduced leverage with high school prospects may shape the entire approach, and where the real question is how aggressive the Mariners can afford to be once their first few picks are on the clock. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Fans Will Love What Randy Arozarenas Rays Return Means
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Arozarena said he was happy to be back and credited Rays fans and the organization for helping him grow, which only sharpened the sense that this was more than a routine road stop. Rays manager Kevin Cash also reflected on how central Arozarena was to some of the clubs best runs, a reminder that even after the trade, his footprint in Tampa Bay still lingers in a way Mariners fans can appreciate. [Read more 🡒]
Another Flat Florida Loss Exposed A Familiar Mariners Problem
The Mariners trip through Florida hit another familiar snag in a 7-2 loss to the Rays, a game that again put their offense under the microscope. Tampa Bay did its damage in a way that has become all too recognizable for Seattle this season, piecing together runs while the Mariners struggled to answer, even as Luis Castillo tried to keep the game within reach.
What stands out now is how much thinner the lineup looks than it did a year ago. Seattle has slipped to 14th in team wRC+ after finishing second last season, and that drop has shown up in nights like this one, when the middle of the order does not provide enough support and the margin for error disappears quickly. [Read more 🡒]