Every organization was circling him just before the MLB Draft. And he gave them every reason. From closing things down in Omaha with a heater and breaking throws thrown with surgical perfection. This wasn’t just hype; it was the release of a top-notch arm. And on the Draft night, the Seattle Mariners got him.
People in Seattle are buzzing over the possibility of him playing alongside Cal Raleigh. So, when he landed in Seattle to sign the contract, he dropped a bombshell. And what he said has left baseball enthusiasts in surprise. But he’s still learning. Guess who he is?
The 21-year-old pitcher from the 2025 MLB Draft is Kade Anderson. Anderson confessed about Seattle while he was in the Emerald City recently to talk about a deal. He said, “I knew, kind of, a little bit of where it was, but had to really make sure. Since I’ve been here, the weather has really shocked me how nice it is here. Super excited to get to learn the area… excited to just venture. I got to go to the fish market and do all of the cool Seattle things and learn what Seattle’s all about.”
Kade Anderson said that he had no idea where Seattle was when he got drafted
He also said he was shocked by the weather while walking around the city and experiencing it for the first time pic.twitter.com/62TmUhpH6v
— Marine Layer Podcast (@MarineLayerPod) July 22, 2025
The southpaw from Madisonville, Louisiana, is everything the Mariners want in a homegrown pitcher. He finished his 2025 LSU campaign with a 12-1 record and a 3.18 ERA over 119 innings. Anderson led all of Division I with 180 strikeouts in the regular season and had a 0.56 ERA in the College World Series, winning the Most Outstanding Player award. He has the third-most strikeouts in LSU single-season history, behind only Paul Skenes and Ben McDonald.
Seattle quickly turned MLB Draft picks into commitments. He signed for $8.8 million, which was around $700,000 less than the slot, which freed up money for the rest of the draft haul.
So, what makes him the next Paul Skenes? The comparison goes beyond LSU’s family tree. Anderson has a refined arsenal: a low-to-mid-90s fastball (up to 97 mph), a slider, a changeup, and a curve, all thrown with purpose and order. He has control, durability, and competition, just like Skenes. That strong base is like Skenes’ readiness, even though Anderson might be more of a mid-rotation player with room to grow.
The Tigers’ head coach made it clear what made them seem alike. “Probably the biggest similarity that I see is that they would go out, have an outstanding outing on Friday, and then by Saturday morning, they were immediately talking about what they were going to do better the next week. And that’s really, really uncommon when you go 7 innings, 1 run and strike out like 11, 12 or 13. But both Paul and Kade have that.”
Kade Anderson keeps it grounded even as it is going up. He remarked, “I’m dedicated to the plan the Mariners have for me,” he said. “I think if you take it day‑by‑day, it kind of makes it easier and you never get too far ahead of yourself. … There’s always room for improvement in every area.”
He is still learning and open to improvement. And in the clubhouse, everyone, from veteran Cal Raleigh to front office executives, is happy to have him.
Seattle celebrates: Mariners land power-pitching prospect Kade Anderson
The Mariners are very excited after officially signing their MLB Draft pick, and the excitement at T-Mobile Park was contagious. Everyone in Seattle, from the front office to the star players, is excited to welcome Anderson. It seems like the team struck a home run in the draft.
Credits: Seattle Mariners first-round draft pick Kade Anderson fields questions with his agent Scott Boras, right, during a press conference, Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. (Kevin Clark / The Seattle Times)
Anderson stated on Tuesday, after signing, “At T‑Mobile Park, Cal Raleigh reached out, which right now is probably the coolest guy in the league to get a text from.” Seattle is excited about Raleigh and Anderson potentially forming a strong battery next season. And even the management is happy to land it.
Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners’ president of baseball operations, remarked, “Kade is polished.” “He’s already pitched at the highest level… so the early part of his journey should be less about trying to build a foundation.”
Anderson won’t be pitching this year. After 119 innings at LSU, he will go to Arizona to recover and follow a personalized diet plan in preparation for his first game in 2026. Scott Hunter, the Mariners’ VP of amateur scouting, stated, “Just getting him some rest to rebuild and be prepared for his first Spring Training will be the biggest thing for him.”
With skilled players and careful planning, the Mariners and their fans are excited to see what happens next.
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