The 2025 MLB Draft kicked off with a stunning twist. The Nationals and Angels made unexpected moves at the top, selecting Eli Willits and Tyler Bremner with the first and second overall picks, respectively. Now, that unexpected shuffle set the stage for a golden opportunity at No. 3. The Mariners found themselves staring at a dream scenario.

What came next could turn out to be a franchise-altering decision. With their first-round pick, the Mariners selected LSU left-hander Kade Anderson, a dominant arm widely projected as the No. 1 overall player in many mock drafts. And this story gets even more compelling when you consider what Seattle signed him for. The Mariners may have just pulled off one of the draft’s biggest scoops.

“Kade Anderson and the Mariners have agreed to terms for a signing bonus of around $8.8 million, according to a source. That’s roughly $700,000 below slot value for the No. 3 overall pick, allowing them to reallocate that money elsewhere,” MLB insider Daniel Kramer reported.

The Mariners came into the draft with over $17 million. With their signing bonus of $8.8 million for Anderson, it gives them a little extra flexibility with the rest of their top-10 round picks. And this amount saved on Anderson might just help the Mariners to keep him away from a college commitment in the future.

Notably, Kade Anderson is their highest draft selection since they took Mike Zunino out of Florida back in 2012. Anderson just wrapped up a dominant season at LSU, leading the team to a national title in the College World Series finals. And in college baseball, he even topped the chart with 180 strikeouts over 119 innings, with a 3.18 ERA.

Definitely a triumph by the Mariners!