Mariners pitcher Kade Anderson earns No. 1 MLB prospect ranking, according to Keith Law

Sofia Schwarzwalder, The Seattle Times on Jul 23, 2026

Published in Baseball

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SEATTLE — Mariners fans might need something to feel hopeful about right now.

Luckily, there’s something to offer from The Athletic’s Keith Law. Law’s new ranking of MLB’s top 70 prospects put left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson in the No. 1 spot. And the good news doesn’t end there – the Mariners have another top-10 prospect with right-handed pitcher Ryan Sloan ranked eighth.

“The minors’ best pitching prospect — and now its best prospect, period — continues to roll through Double A, waiting for an opening somewhere on the Mariners’ big-league staff,” Law wrote.

“It’s plus control and maybe plus command of a four-pitch mix highlighted by one of the minors’ best changeups, which has generated a 50 percent whiff rate when batters have swung at it and given him a reverse platoon split on the season. He’d be in probably 27 or 28 rotations right now, just not the one in Seattle. I’ve never had a pitcher as my No. 1 prospect on any of my preseason top 100 lists.”

In January, Anderson was 28th in Law’s 2026 top 100 prospect rankings. At the time, shortstop Colt Emerson (who was called up in May and remains on the Mariners’ roster), was ranked No. 4. Sloan, who came in behind Anderson in Law’s ranking released Wednesday, was 21st.

The Mariners drafted Anderson, 22, third overall in 2025. He is currently playing with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers where he has a 8-1 record with a 1.36 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 72 2/3 innings pitched.

Anderson played at Louisiana State University where he won the 2025 College World Series and was named the Most Outstanding Player.

He is currently ranked fifth overall in MLB.com’s top 100 prospect rankings. (He is the number one pitching prospect, though). Brewers prospect Jesús Made, who Law ranked second behind Anderson, tops those rankings. Anderson is ranked third by FanGraphs.

Sloan, who Law ranked eighth, is also playing in Double-A alongside Anderson. Now 20, Sloan was drafted out of high school as the 55th overall pick in the 2024 draft. Sloan is also ranked eighth by MLB.

Sloan has a 2-2 record with a 4.04 ERA and 88 strikeouts across 62 1/3 innings pitched.

“Sloan and Seth Hernandez are neck-and-neck for me: Hernandez has better pure stuff, while Sloan’s pitching at a higher level with better results while working with pretty elite stuff of his own,” Law wrote. “Sloan is 96-100 with a hammer sweeper that’s a plus pitch already and a kick-change that’s above-average. He throws everything for strikes, walking just 4.6 percent of batters through Sunday’s games. It’s just about health at this point, with No. 1-2 starter upside.”

The last time the Mariners had the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball was Alex Rodriguez in 1995. (Rodriguez made his MLB debut in 1994, but was sent back to the minor leagues after 17 games).

The expectation is the Mariners, at some point later this summer, will consider calling up both Anderson and Sloan to join the pitching staff in some capacity, according to Mariners reporter Adam Jude.

When asked about short-term plans for the two pitchers, Jerry Dipoto said that both would be continuing their normal routines in Arkansas.

“They’re having spectacular seasons, and they are generally regarded as guys who are either ready or near-ready for the big leagues,” Dipoto told the Times. “But, again, we have six starting pitchers, and we are not interested in the idea of sabotaging the development of either of those young pitchers by shortening up their development.”

Dipoto said toward the end of the season the focus will shift to who the best 13 pitchers are, and how that can get the team to the end of the road in October. He said he expects those conversations will take place in August or September.