The Mariners pulled off a draft-day steal on Saturday, snagging Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese with the 24th overall pick in the 2026 MLB First-Year Player Draft. This dude, a D1Baseball Second-team All-American, was rocking a .336 average with a career-high 24 dingers and 74 RBI for the Bulldogs. Mariners Vice President of Amateur Scouting Scott Hunter didn't hold back, flat out saying Reese is "one of the top three hitters in the country." Talk about landing a future cornerstone bat for the Emerald City!
This Slugger Is the Real Deal and Everyone Knows It
Ace Reese isn't your average college bat. This 21-year-old monster, standing at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, put up video game numbers in the SEC, a league Hunter himself called a "totally different animal of baseball these days for college sports." We're talking 24 bombs and 74 RBI for Mississippi State this year, good for the fifth-most home runs in program history for a single season! He's even the third player ever for the Bulldogs to go yard 20 times in back-to-back seasons. Hunter was practically giddy about the pick, calling Reese one of the SEC's "scariest bats" and specifically noting he hits "right-handers and left-handers," which is huge. Reese himself was "all smiles" on the FaceTime call, saying it was "everything I’ve dreamed of" and that the Mariners were "on my list" of teams he wanted to join because he'd "heard a lot of good things... with the development side, coming up through the ranks." You gotta love to hear that enthusiasm and confidence!Why This Pick Changes Everything For Our Foundation
Man, talk about things lining up perfectly for our M's! Scott Hunter admitted the draft was a total wild card, with about a dozen names on their board they were watching closely. But Reese, who Baseball America rated as the 12th overall prospect, somehow slipped right into our laps at pick 24. Hunter didn't mince words, saying they were "very fortunate he slipped to us at this part of the draft." Our analysts apparently have this guy pegged as someone who "profiles as a guy that’s going to go out and have success right away." This pick also fits a clear pattern for our front office, who have used their last three first-round selections on college talent, including switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje in 2024 and lefty Kade Anderson in 2025. Hunter's vision, expressed right there in T-Mobile Park's main interview room, is crystal clear: we're "doing OK with our pitching" and want to "continue this movement" of developing talent. The goal is to keep adding big bats like Reese to "really build up a foundation" for the organization, following the path of current players like Cal Raleigh and even prospects Cole Young and Colt Emerson. This is exactly what we need to keep the momentum going! While we're hyped about the future, let's not forget the present. The M's just dropped a 7-2 game to the Tampa Bay Rays tonight. It stings, but landing a bat like Ace Reese gives us all kinds of reasons to look forward. This kid is coming, Seattle. The future is looking loud, and hopefully full of dingers at T-Mobile Park.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.