Seattle Mariners fans gather and cheer before the team's pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at Lumen Field in 2023. Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

MLB Draft Insider Details the Great Opportunity in Front of Seattle Mariners This Year

Originally posted on Minor League Baseball on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated May 4, 2025 12:37 PM ET

As an organization, the Seattle Mariners are rolling right now. The M's enter play on Sunday at 20-12 overall and winners of six straight games. They've also won eight consecutive series for the first time since 2022 and they have a 3.0 game lead in the American League West.

Furthermore, the M's farm system is among the most well-stocked in the sport. They have nine Top 100 players in both the latest Baseball America and MLB Pipeline rankings - and they have an excellent opportunity to add to it this July in the MLB Draft.

Seattle has the No. 3 pick in the draft and owns more than $17 million in bonus pool money, which is the most in the league. Speaking on the most recent edition of the "Refuse to Lose" podcast, Joe Doyle of Overslot discussed the positive situation that Seattle is in.

$17 million over 10 rounds. You can play with the money a little bit.... and this is what's most critical for Seattle in the 2025 draft and it pertains to the 2023 draft: High school players are very, very hard to sign because if you take a high school player in the second round, that player, that player's parents and most importantly, that player's agent, are going to be telling that player 'you can go in the first, go to college. Bonus pools will grow with inflation in three years and you're a first round talent. Take first round money. '

So Seattle has the number 35 pick. Well, if they save money with the number three pick and they can pay someone at pick 35 a million and a half over what the bonus pool number is for pick 35, and all of a sudden they're getting paid like the number 20 pick the draft or something, it incentivizes them to sign.

The Mariners will play the Texas Rangers at 11:35 a.m. PT on Sunday. The draft begins July 13.

You can listen to the full podcast with Doyle in the player below:

This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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