Kade Anderson entered the 2025 Draft as one of the most sought-after hurlers available. The Mariners came calling with the third pick but held the southpaw out of action following a dominant collegiate campaign at Louisiana State.
The organization's patience has been rewarded by its No. 2 prospect, who is off to an impressive professional debut.
Anderson was finally nicked for a run, but opponents continue to be befuddled by the left-hander, who twirled five strong innings in Double-A Arkansas' 5-4 loss to Tulsa on Friday night at ONEOK Field.
Anderson began his pro career by tossing 11 consecutive scoreless frames before Tulsa's Kendall George (LAD No. 13) ended the streak with an RBI single in the third inning. Anderson had been nearly unhittable up until that point, yielding just five hits while striking out 17 across nine innings in his first two outings.
MLB's No. 17 prospect was coming off one of the best outings by a Minor League hurler this season, spinning five hitless frames while striking out 11 against Wichita last Friday.
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Although Anderson didn't the display the same dominance against the Drillers, he was still firmly in control during his 64-pitch outing. The Louisiana native allowed three hits -- two coming in the third when he surrendered a run -- and a walk, but he finished strong, striking out four of the final five batters he faced.
After getting 18 swings-and-misses in his previous start, Anderson added 12 more to his ledger, including eight over his final two frames. The 21-year-old will carry an 0.64 ERA, an 0.86 WHIP and a 22/4 K/BB ratio across 14 innings into his next appearance.
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Not that the Mariners are surprised at what their prized pitching prospect has done so far. There will be surely be bumps along the way, but Anderson proved his mettle while slinging for one of the most prestigious baseball programs in the country.
The 6-foot-2, 179-pounder was the ace of the LSU pitching staff in 2025, compiling a 12-1 record, 3.18 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 119 innings. Anderson closed out his collegiate career by fanning 10 during a complete game, 1-0 win in Game 1 of the Men's College World Series against Coastal Carolina.
The Tigers would go on to win their second championship in three years and Anderson would be named the Men's College World Series Most Outstanding Player.
The moxie Anderson carried with him during college has served him well in his transition to the pros, and while that portion of his career is only just beginning, the early signs point to something special.