Forget just pick 24, the Mariners are already mapping out how they'll use picks 65, 101, and 129 on Day One of the draft. It’s all about strategy for the Emerald City front office: will they play it safe with high-floor college players, or get risky trying to snatch some prep talent, balancing it out with money-saving senior signs? We're looking at what our guys might be thinking, dividing the targets for rounds 2-4 into two buckets: "Taking Your Medicine" for the safe bets and "Eating Ice Cream" for those riskier, higher-ceiling swings.
Picking Our Medicine: High-Contact Bats We Need
The word from Kate and Max is that two outfielders, Caden Ferraro from Texas Tech and Ty Head from NC State, are exactly the kind of "Mariners-y" hitters we love. They just don't strike out much and make a ton of contact. Head can stick in center and is probably going higher, which means Ferraro might be our best bet, even if Max thinks he could be gone by 65. Ferraro profiles as a corner outfielder who might end up at DH, but his bat is absolutely electric. Max says his consistent, super loud exit velocities are making him light up team models. Then there's Ryan Cooney, a second baseman from Oregon, who just screams Mariners baseball. He does everything well, nothing super flashy, kind of like a Cole Young type, but with more speed and a little less pop. This dude is a contact monster, plain and simple, like he's got a baseball magnet in his bat. His 91% in-zone contact rate is just absurdly good. With local ties, this feels like a seriously safe, smart pick for us.Eating Ice Cream: Big Swings for Big Future
Alright, now we're getting into the dream picks, and Jake Schaffner, a shortstop out of North Carolina, is at the top of that list. Max and Kate both agree that getting Schaffner all the way to 65 is a total pipe dream, but man, he’s a damn good baseball player. He makes a ton of contact, shows off plus bat-to-ball skills, and just has a clear feel for the barrel. The kid takes his walks and struck out less than 10% of the time against ACC competition in his first season. He’s played all over the infield and swiped 26 bases last season, only getting caught three times. Sure, the power isn't overwhelming, but with how often he barrels the ball, it hasn't mattered at all. He’s probably gone way before our pick, but imagine if he slid! We also hear Tre Phelps, a third baseman from Georgia, is on the board, an older college bat with some clear limitations. Look, our M's just took a tough 7-2 loss against the Rays. That stings for sure, but seeing these kinds of names on the draft board, knowing our front office is digging deep for talent, gives you something real to look forward to. Can our guys pull off some draft magic and snag one of these contact gurus? We’ve got to believe they can.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.