The Seattle Mariners officially brought some serious pop to T-Mobile Park's future, selecting third baseman Ace Reese out of Mississippi State with the 24th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft. This kid isn't just a prospect, he's a certified slugger who's been crushing it in college baseball for two years straight, and we snagged him at 24!
This Bat Is The Real Deal
Forget everything you think you know about college bats because Reese is a different breed. He's renowned for his overall abilities at the plate, with a lefty swing built to elevate the ball with serious authority, especially to his pull side. We're talking exceptional power that makes his already impressive numbers play up even more. At 6'3" and 205 pounds, he's got room to add even more strength, and scouts are already projecting him as a 25-homer threat at the big league level. Danny Barrand_ on X (formerly Twitter) even called his "pimp jobs" the best in the 2026 class, backed up by a 23% barrel rate, good launch angles, and a real feel to pull the ball. This dude is one of the better overall sluggers out there, though his contact rates need to keep up, which wasn't a problem in SEC play.Why He's Our Guy
Our scouting director Scott Hunter couldn't hide his excitement, telling Kate Preusser that Reese has "a track record of success. He's done it at every level, and to be that successful and that impactful in the SEC right now…he had a .383 ISO. He hits right-handers and left-handers." Hunter was stoked that Reese "slipped to us at this part of the draft," calling him "one of the best pure college power bats in this draft." The bet here is absolutely on the bat. While he's likely a third base or left field guy professionally and his athleticism isn't elite, he's got better footspeed than people realize and should avoid that dreaded move to first base. Hunter also admitted, "It's always hit first. We in the room believe in that, because he's got some work to do at third base. And he's aware of that too." A foot injury set him back a bit, but he's "motivated" to play third. Hunter says, "his bat's going to carry him, but the defense is going to come along. He's got the skills to do it, it's just a matter of refining some thin," especially with guys like Bone and Perry working with him. Even with this excitement, the M's had a tough night on the field, dropping a 7-2 game to the Tampa Bay Rays. But hey, looking ahead, bringing in a pure power bat like Ace Reese is exactly what we need for the future. We can't wait to watch this guy develop!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.