5 no-hit IP, 11 K's: 2025's No. 3 Draft pick dazzles at Double-A
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Heading into the 2025 Draft, Kade Anderson had a reputation as a polished pitcher who could move quickly after signing.
Two starts into his professional career, the southpaw whom the Mariners drafted third overall out of Louisiana State is living up to that billing and more.
On the heels of a dominant pro debut, MLB's No. 18 prospect was even sharper in his second start. Anderson struck out 11 batters across five hitless innings as he earned the win for Double-A Arkansas in a 5-0 victory over Wichita at Dickey-Stephens Park.
The Mariners' top pitching prospect was businesslike as he used his signature four-pitch mix to carve through the lineup. Anderson picked up strikeouts on each of his offerings: five on the fastball, three on the curve, two on the changeup and one on the slider.
The 21-year-old only issued two walks, and neither runner made it past first as he racked up a career-best 14 swings-and-misses. He never needed more than 16 pitches to get through an inning and tossed 68.6 percent strikes.
Starts like Anderson had only occur about once per month in the Minor Leagues. In 2025, there were only seven outings of at least five hitless, scoreless innings and 11 or more strikeouts -- with Mets' top pitching prospect Jonah Tong accomplishing it twice. Anderson is the first to do so this season, and it only took him two starts.
Anderson struck out six batters across five scoreless innings on April 3 while giving up five hits and a walk, which gives him an absurd 40 percent K-BB rate. Nine innings is a tiny sample size, but for reference, no qualified starter has had a K-BB rate above 30 percent since Corbin Burnes in 2021.
The Louisiana native is making quick work of Double-A, and it may not be a surprise to see him earn a promotion in the near future. Yes, the Mariners may have one of the deepest rotations in the Majors and currently have the third-lowest overall ERA (2.86), but they haven't had a lefty come through their system like Anderson in a long time.