Seattle Mariners' top 2 pitching prospects to open '26 in AA

Highly touted Seattle Mariners pitching prospects Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan will both begin the 2026 season in Double-A Arkansas, the club announced Monday.

6 standouts from Mariners’ season-opening series

Anderson and Sloan are the consensus top two prospects in Seattle’s renowned pitching pipeline. Anderson is MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 overall prospect and Baseball America’s No. 25 overall prospect, while Sloan is Pipeline’s No. 31 and BA’s No. 60.

Both pitchers were impressive this spring and could reach the majors at some point later this season.

A roster 125 years in the making… Returning faves and some new faces will take the field for your 2026 Travs! 🏆⚾️

— Arkansas Travelers (@ARTravs) March 30, 2026

Anderson, a 21-year-old left-hander, was selected by Seattle with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. He starred in LSU’s national title run last season, posting a 3.18 ERA with 180 strikeouts and 35 walks over 119 innings, capped by a three-hit shutout in Game 1 of the Men’s College World Series finals.

Anderson didn’t pitch in the minors last summer due to his heavy workload at LSU, but the 6-foot-2 southpaw is considered the most MLB-ready pitcher in his draft class and could move quickly through Seattle’s system. He turned heads in live batting practice sessions this spring and made three Cactus League starts, posting a 6.43 ERA with nine strikeouts and three walks over seven innings.

Sloan, a 20-year-old right-hander, was drafted by the Mariners with a 2024 second-round pick out of York Community High School in Elmhurst, Ill.

The 6-foot-5 Sloan made his pro debut last season, posting a 3.73 ERA in 21 starts between Low-A Modesto and High-A Everett. He recorded 90 strikeouts, 15 walks and a 1.16 WHIP in 82 innings.

Sloan dazzled in the Mariners’ Spring Breakout game earlier this month, striking out three batters over three perfect innings against the Milwaukee Brewers’ top-ranked farm system. During his impressive 39-pitch outing, Sloan’s four-seam fastball averaged 97.9 mph.

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MLB’s No. 33 overall prospect Ryan Sloan (@Mariners) twirls 3 perfect frames with a trio of strikeouts in Spring Breakout action! pic.twitter.com/Y1sdTwxsK2

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 20, 2026

Top 100 prospects Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo also will open the season in Double-A Arkansas. Montes, a 21-year-old outfielder with immense power, is Pipeline’s No. 41 overall prospect and BA’s No. 58 overall prospect. Arroyo, a 21-year-old infielder, is Pipeline’s No. 65 overall prospect.

Seattle Mariners’ top 2 pitching prospects to open ’26 in AA

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