A pair of Mariners' pitching prospects are poised to punch out plenty of hitters

Peoria, Ariz. – While much of the Cactus League chatter has centered on roster battles and injury updates, the Seattle Mariners’ camp has been electrified by two arms who have no interest in playing it safe. Kade Anderson, the third-overall selection in last summer’s draft, and Ryan Sloan, MLB Pipeline’s No. 33 prospect, have arrived in big-league camp with a shared mandate: fill the zone, get ahead, and let the strikeouts pile up.

Both right-handers threw live batting-practice sessions this week that left hitters shaking their heads and evaluators reaching for notebooks. Anderson, who helped pitch LSU to the 2025 College World Series title, worked a fastball that appeared to jump the zone and paired it with a mid-80s slider that dove late. Sloan, fresh off a 10-start cameo with High-A Everett, showcased a four-seamer that rode through the top of the zone and a change-up that died on left-handed swings.

The early returns confirm what the organization already suspected: these pitchers would rather see a swing-and-miss than a ball in play.

“If I want to talk about strikeouts, I have to get ahead in the count,” Sloan said matter-of-factly after his session. “That’s the only way the punch-out becomes an option.”

General manager Justin Hollander endorsed the approach without hesitation. “Don’t let the ball in play decide your outcome,” he told club staffers, according to the Seattle Times. “Just get ahead, and finish guys as quickly as you can.”

Pitching coach Pete Woodworth has watched both prospects since instructional league and believes the conviction is authentic. “They’re hungry,” Woodworth said. “They’re not just here to get to know people and have a good time in big-league camp. They’re here to compete, to get ahead, and to punch a lot of tickets. It’s fun to hear.”

The divergent paths that delivered Anderson and Sloan to the same mound this spring add intrigue. Anderson rocketed up draft boards after a dominant postseason run in the SEC, while Sloan climbed steadily through the system since being selected out of a Wisconsin high school two years ago. Yet both speak the same language on the rubber: attack, expand, and end the at-bat.

Woodworth sees the shared mentality as a separator. “For how young they are, there is a lot of true self-confidence,” he said. “It’s not fake. They truly believe it, and you can see it when they pitch.”

With full-season assignments still to be finalized, the Mariners have no reason to rush either arm. Still, every fastball that pops the mitt and every helpless flail from a veteran visitor sends a quiet message through the organization: the next wave of Seattle strikeout artists has already started its climb.