The Seattle Mariners will once again enter the new season with a league-leading seven prospects on MLB Pipeline’s 2026 Top 100 list. One of the league’s strongest drafting and development organizations in recent years, Seattle continues to field one of the deepest farm systems in baseball. Below is a breakdown of those seven Mariners’ prospects, their skill sets, and what the organization expects from them in 2026.
Mariners Lead MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 With Seven Prospects
Colt Emerson (9) – SS
Scouts have described Colt Emerson as owning the best hit tool in the minors. Emerson dominated across all levels of the minors in 2025. He posted a wRC+ of 129 and walked almost as many times as he struck out. He still has power to develop but already has such a strong foundation with elite contact skills and plate discipline. This approach has allowed him to adapt quickly and perform at a high level, which the Mariners hope will continue as he looks to break into the major league roster.
Expectations in 2026
Emerson will be looking to get some playing time, if not on the Opening Day roster, then maybe by late spring or early summer. He will have the opportunity to compete for an infield spot, most likely at third base, with Ben Williamson. Although Williamson is an elite glove at third, Emerson has among the highest upside of any Mariner prospect since Julio Rodríguez so that he will get his chance in 2026.
Kade Anderson (23) – LHP
Kade Anderson was the Mariners’ third overall draft selection in the 2025 draft. One of the premier college arms, he led LSU to a National Championship, winning Most Outstanding Player of the Men’s College World Series, and led NCAA Division I in strikeouts in 2025. Many evaluators believed Anderson could go first overall, but the Mariners grabbed him at pick three.
While he does not have elite, high-end velocity on his fastball, sitting in the low 90s, he can attack the top of the zone and features a good changeup to keep hitters guessing. As with most Mariners pitchers, the organization may look to make his slider his predominant secondary pitch. As a lefty, he offers nice versatility to the rotation and has a high floor with No. 2 starter to low-end No. 1 upside in years to come.
Expectations in 2026
After a significant workload in 2025, including the College World Series, the organization shut Anderson down following the draft. Coming off Tommy John surgery in 2022, the organization saw no need to add to an already heavy load on a developing arm. As a result, it is expected he will start in Double-A, but should rise quickly through the minors given his collegiate experience. He will likely pitch on the major league roster at some point in 2026, when rest is needed within the starting rotation. It will be interesting to see how early he gets his shot.
Lazaro Montes (29) – OF
Lazaro Montes projects to be one of the biggest mysteries of the entire Top 100 and a polarizing prospect. While MLB Pipeline has ranked him as high as the top 30, some evaluators view him very differently. Possessing elite power from the left-hand side, Montes has the upside of a 40-home-run season, with incredible bat speed and the ability to drive the ball in the air; his ceiling is sky high. He can also draw walks and maintain that approach in 2024 and 2025.
However, as with many power hitters, strikeouts are a concern, and he did not perform to his capabilities in 2025. At 6’5”, he can have trouble handling pitches at the top of the zone, and his strikeout rate increased as he moved from High-A to Double-A. That adjustment may take him years. But the Mariners will be banking on his bat speed and exit velocities and hoping they can live with the strikeouts.
Expectations in 2026
It will likely be a couple of years before Montes pushes for the majors. Following a mixed 2025 in Double-A, will need to dominate pitching at every minor league level before the organization moves him toward truly elite arms. While many viewed him as a potential chip in a big-splash trade for a player like Ketel Marte, his valuation varies significantly team to team, making him a difficult piece to project in trade scenarios.
Ryan Sloan (44) – RHP
Ryan Sloan was ranked as high as 21 by The Athletic’s Keith Law, two spots above Kade Anderson. Following an offseason of mock trades for starting second basemen such as Ketel Marte, Mariners fans largely viewed Sloan as off the table. With ace potential and a higher ceiling than even Anderson, Sloan is expected to have another big year after dominating Low-A.
He is 6’5”, can touch 100 mph on his fastball, and already has a very strong pitch mix featuring a changeup and a sweeper. One trait that has become increasingly important for Mariners pitchers is the ability to pound the strike zone. Sloan fits that profile, throwing a ton of strikes and walking just 4.5% of batters in 2025. Already so talented at such a young age, the organization will need to be careful managing his workload, especially given his size.
Expectations in 2026
Sloan is unlikely to see the major league roster in 2026—though it is not impossible—with 2027 appearing to be a more realistic timeline. The expectation is that he will continue to dominate minor league hitters while focusing on efficiency and workload management. If that development continues, Sloan is well-positioned to rise significantly on future Top 100 lists.
Michael Arroyo (63) – 2B
Michael Arroyo lands across a wide spectrum on prospect lists. While Baseball America omitted him entirely, some evaluators have projected him as a top-50 prospect, including Keith Law. Arroyo is a steady, contact-oriented hitter who posted an .800 OPS across High-A and Double-A while showing strong plate discipline. He was able not only to bring his strikeout rate down from 2024, but also to reduce it by over five percent when moving from High-A to Double-A in 2025.
His swing rate on pitches in the heart of the plate is 91%, one of the highest in the system, and with that, he does not chase much. A competent glove at second base, he does not possess the strongest arm, so it will be his bat that pushes him closer to major league consideration.
Expectations in 2026
His overall offensive production naturally came down in Double-A, so he will be looking to establish himself at that level to begin the season. Continued power development will be important, as he will likely be promoted to Triple-A at some point during the year. He could also draw interest from teams looking to trade with the Mariners as they seek to add more bats this offseason. His approach and hit tool, with room for power growth, make him an enticing prospect.
Jonny Farmelo (75) – OF
Jonny Farmelo was a big prospect pickup for the Mariners in 2023, going well over slot to sign him for $3.2 million out of high school. Initially viewed as a power-over-contact prospect, that balance has evened out somewhat during his time in the minors. He can pull the ball with great bat speed—nearly a 50% pull rate—and elevate it, giving him significant power potential. He also has a disciplined plate approach and makes good decisions at the plate, posting a 7.4% swinging-strike rate in 2024.
What really elevated Farmelo’s ceiling is his speed. This made him a true difference-maker on the basepaths and a dynamic defender in the outfield. Those injuries have made his explosiveness harder to evaluate. However, after a torn ACL limited him for much of 2024 and a rib stress fracture further reduced his playing time in 2025.
Expectations in 2026
Farmelo will look to reestablish himself in High-A after the ACL injury. Before the injuries, he carried five tools upside-down with a projection in center field. Whether that profile fully returns remains to be seen. For Farmelo, 2026 will be about getting back to full health and reasserting the potential he showed after high school.
Jurrangelo Cijntje (90) – RHP/LHP
Jurrangelo Cijntje is a switch pitcher with a great delivery from both sides of the mound. He is naturally left-handed but has become a much better pitcher as a right-hander over the years. From the right side, he has a mid-90s fastball that can reach 99 mph. He can pound the zone and features a strong slider that can miss bats, fitting the blueprint of many Mariners pitching prospects.
From the left side, Cijntje offers less upside. His fastball sits in the low to mid-90s, and none of his secondary pitches consistently stand out, a gap reflected in the numbers. While he shows No. 2 starter upside, there is still a significant amount to refine. Cijntje struggles with command, even from the right side, leading to inconsistency within outings. That said, his profile remains that of a unicorn, and the flexibility he could provide is viewed as worth the developmental investment.
Expectations in 2026
How the Mariners continue to develop Cijntje in 2026 will be one of the more interesting prospect storylines. The organization has indicated it will allow him to continue pitching from both sides. The Swiss Army knife-style versatility he could offer, against platoon bats, in relief roles, or in spot starts, is tantalizing. However, there is a balance to strike, as continuing to develop both sides could detract from his clearly dominant right-handed profile. The Mariners’ pitching development staff will need to manage that line carefully.