LSU baseball ace Kade Anderson selected by Seattle Mariners in MLB Draft
Anderson led college baseball with 180 strikeouts and was one of the sport's most dominant pitchers in 2025. Anderson capped his collegiate career with a national championship, which included throwing a complete game vs. Coastal Carolina in the College World Series final. Anderson was named College World Series MVP.
Anderson saw sparse action as a reliever in 2024, but took over LSU's ace role in 2025. LSU expects its Friday night starter to pitch at an elite level, and Anderson lived up to the billing. In 2025, he threw 119 innings with a 3.18 ERA. Anderson was a first-team All-American and Baseball America named Anderson the pitcher of the year.
Through two seasons donning the purple and gold, Anderson posted a 3.38 ERA and 239 strikeouts.
Here's what MLB.com's scouting report says:
"Anderson's fastball plays much better than its velocity (sitting 92-94 mph, touching 97) because it carries past bats up in the strike zone. He used an upper-70s downer curveball as his main breaking pitch as a freshman but now favors a high-spin mid-80s slider that has the makings of a plus offering. He also employs a mid-80s changeup with fade and sink that has become a true weapon as he has used it more often."
Ahead of the draft, there was talk of Anderson going No. 1 overall. But there were early surprises with the Nationals taking high school shortstop Eli Willits No. 1 overall and UC Santa Barbara pitcher Tyler Bremner going No. 2 overall.
Anderson is the third LSU prospect in three years to be a top-three pick. In 2023, LSU's Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews went No. 1 and No. 2 overall. Skenes and Crews took the fast track to the major league level. Anderson has a chance to reach the majors at a similar speed.
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