Mariners call up top pitching prospect Kade Anderson

The Seattle Mariners plan to call up top pitching prospect Kade Anderson and hand the left-hander the ball Saturday against the Chicago Cubs. Anderson will make the jump from Double-A Arkansas to Seattle roughly 13 months after the Mariners selected him third overall in the 2025 MLB Draft out of LSU.

The promotion gives the Mariners another high-upside arm for its rotation as the season enters its stretch run. ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news Thursday on X, formerly Twitter, detailing the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball’s dominant minor-league production ahead of his expected MLB debut.

“BREAKING: The Seattle Mariners plan to call up left-hander Kade Anderson, the top pitching prospect in baseball, to start Saturday, sources tell ESPN. Anderson, the third pick in the 2025 draft, has a 1.06 ERA over 93.1 innings with 135 strikeouts, 13 walks and 47 hits allowed.”

Anderson’s rapid rise follows a standout collegiate career at LSU, where he earned College World Series Most Outstanding Player honors before Seattle selected him No. 3 overall last summer.

His first full professional season has only accelerated that trajectory. The left-hander has overwhelmed Double-A competition while demonstrating both swing-and-miss stuff and exceptional control. His 135 strikeouts against just 13 walks illustrate the command that has accompanied his ascent through the Mariners’ system.

Seattle will use Anderson as a traditional starter instead of easing him into the majors through the bullpen. He will face the Cubs on Saturday and get his first chance to translate his minor-league success against MLB hitters.

For the Mariners, Anderson adds another rotation option for the stretch run. For the 2025 first-rounder, the move completes an unusually quick journey from LSU to the majors.

Anderson is set to make his MLB debut Saturday, unless Seattle changes its plans.