SEATTLE (AP) — Prized left-hander Kade Anderson of Covington will make his major-league debut Saturday night (Aug. 22), starting for the Seattle Mariners against the Chicago Cubs, manager Dan Wilson said.
Anderson, 22, is one of the top pitching prospects in baseball and dominated the competition in his first minor-league season. The former LSU and St. Paul’s School star went 10-1 with a 1.06 ERA in 18 starts for Double-A Arkansas, striking out 135 batters and walking just 13 across 93 1/3 innings.
The Mariners selected Anderson with the third overall pick in the 2025 draft, signing him for a reported bonus of $8.8 million. When he takes the mound Saturday night (6:16 p.m. CDT), Anderson will become the first player from his draft class to make his major-league debut.
“So excited about that,” Wilson said. “What an incredible season Kade Anderson has had down at the Double-A level. It’s extremely exciting to have him here and we’re excited to get him on the mound.”
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It is unclear yet if Anderson will be making a spot start to help Seattle form a six-man rotation or take the place of one of the Mariners’ five right-handed starting pitchers. In early August, Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said Anderson would begin his major-league career as a starter.
“We’re not going to put Kade in the bullpen,” Dipoto said. “He’s the best starting pitcher in the minor leagues.”
There is no obvious candidate for Anderson to replace. After the Mariners traded right-hander Luis Castillo to the Chicago White Sox ahead of the trade deadline, Seattle was still left with former All-Stars Logan Gilbert and Bryan Woo, former first-round pick Emerson Hancock, George Kirby and Bryce Miller.
Woo, who was originally scheduled to start Saturday, left his last outing after 75 pitches due to shoulder soreness. But Woo has remained with the team since his most recent appearance. Wilson said he doesn’t envision an injured list stint for Woo.
“I think we continue to talk about that and see what will make the most sense for us going forward,” Wilson said. “Once we get Bryan (Woo) slotted in, we’ll be able to figure out exactly how we’re going to proceed there.”
Anderson, who arrived in Seattle on Friday, joins the club at a time when it is in need of reinforcements. The Mariners are 61-68 and 6-9 over their past 15 games.
“Where we’re at with the season and how we feel like this last month-plus of baseball shakes up, I think Kade is a guy that can help us in that department,” Wilson said.
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