Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - How Many Draft Prospects Are the Mariners Considering With the No. 3 Pick? w/ Joe Doyle

Episode Date: June 25, 2025

Joe Doyle of Over-Slot: An MLB Draft Podcast and Future Stars Series joins Ty and Colby to talk about the Mariners ahead of the 2025 MLB Draft.DONATE TO OUR FEEDING AMERICA FUNDRAISERCheck out our Pat...reon!Follow the show on Twitter: @LO_Mariners | @TyDaneGonzalez | @CPat11Follow the show on Bluesky: @lockedonmariners | @tdg | @mlbcolbySupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Wonderful PistachiosGet snackin' and get crackin' with the snack that packs a protein punch. Visit WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more! Supply HouseJoin the TradeMaster program today at SupplyHouse.com/TM and start ordering plumbing, HVAC, and electrical supplies with just a few clicks. Plus, use promo code S-H-5 for 5% off your first order. That’s SupplyHouse.com! Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONMLB at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. FanDuelRight now, new customers can get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 With a little under three weeks to go until the 2025 MLB draft, we still don't really know what the Mariners plan to do at pick number three. So we got the best of the biz when it comes to Marys draft stuff, Joe Doyle, to tell us what he thinks coming up here on the Locktime Marrars podcast. You are Locked on Mariners. Your daily Seattle Mariners podcast, part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. Ahoy, Sailors. It is Wednesday, June 25th, 2025. as all us for the Lockdown Marys Podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team, every day. This episode is brought to you by Monarch Money.
Starting point is 00:00:44 Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use the promo code Lockdown MLB, that's L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N-MLB at MonarchMoney.com for 50% off your first year. And as always, if you want to hear from me and Colby even more and help support the show, you can check out our Patreon. All you have to do to check that out is click the link in the description of this episode. Let's talk some draft with Joe Doyle. Longtime friend of the show, prospect and draft expert, host of Overslot and MLB Draft Podcasts, writer over at Future Stars series. He's a very busy man this time of a year, and we really appreciate him taking the time out of his schedule to talk with us today.
Starting point is 00:01:22 Joe Doyle, welcome back, Joe. Thanks for doing this. What's up, boys? Good to be back. So we're catching you kind of on the heels of some pretty big Mariners prospect news. So I wanted to get your thoughts on that real quick before. we hop into the draft. A lot of promotions happening right now in the mayor's organization. The two biggest ones, though, Las Montes and Michael O'Royle, both heading to double A.
Starting point is 00:01:46 Just wanted to get your thoughts on that, what your expectations might be for both of those guys at the AA level, all that. Yeah, I was surprised that Montez was going up. He's been obviously really, really hot at high A, but, you know, like a 28% strikeout rate, I figured they might keep him there a little bit longer. I don't think it's egregious what they're doing. I would expect that Laz is going to be in Arkansas for quite some time. It wouldn't surprise me if he's there until the end of 2026. Arroyo is long overdue.
Starting point is 00:02:17 I mean, the guy just hits everywhere he goes. I don't think he's going to run into more athleticism, more defensive value, more technical expertise at high A. He was ready for a new challenge. So I'm really excited to see those guys get tested. It's pretty remarkable that Las Montes is going to AA at 20 years old. I mean, I don't think that we should like totally gloss over the fact that he's not even 21. And he's going to Dickie Stevens, which is pretty crazy.
Starting point is 00:02:48 Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do. Like I said, I think they're going to be there for an extended amount of time, at least Montez. And then, you know, if you get him in the big leagues at 22 years old, I mean, that's an enormous success story from a player development standpoint. Yeah, and a Royal also getting to double a 20 years old. It's pretty incredible. So let's jump into this draft. Obviously, it's huge draft for the bearers. They get the number three pick.
Starting point is 00:03:13 I had you on here to talk a little bit right after they got the pick and the lottery. So now we're about three weeks out. Before we ask you about specific names, I feel like it's just a good, solid question to get things rolling here. now that the combine is over, now that the College of World Series is over, to just kind of ask you, like, how many players do you think are truly under consideration for the Marys right now at pick three? I truly believe there's seven or eight, like legitimately seven or eight players still
Starting point is 00:03:50 under consideration. It's a really interesting draft, you guys. It's not top heavy. It's deep once you get into the 15 to 3. 20 to 60 to 70 range. Like I think that's where the real value is. So because there's not like necessarily a player that the organization or that I think the industry as a whole is falling in love with, even at number one, I think teams are
Starting point is 00:04:15 looking to stretch their money as best they can. So I know it's like a taboo way of saying it, but getting bang for your buck with the number three pick, I think is exceptionally important because at the end of the day, at the end of every draft, you want to walk away from that draft with the most value. And if you think a player that you're drafting at three is actually in most other drafts only worth, you know, number eight or nine or 10 money, that's a pretty easy way to like waste your money, which, which I know isn't a great way of saying it. But yeah, I think they're, I think they're exploring all avenues to try and try and bring as much talent into the organization as they can. So obviously there's a lot of
Starting point is 00:04:58 questions about what the nationals are going to do at number one. But what about at number two with the Angels? I know you've talked about college arm for them. Kate Anderson seems like the obvious fit there. But I know you've also mentioned Liam Doyle. You have any idea what they might or where they might be leaning? I haven't heard anything besides those three college pitchers. Liam Doyle, Jamie Arnold, Kate Anderson. I think the interesting thing is like, I am almost with the conversations that I've had with people. I'm almost at the point where Kate Anderson at three is a pipe dream. Like it just feels like Kate Anderson getting to three is very, very, very unlikely.
Starting point is 00:05:38 So whether it's the nationals, whether it's the angels, I think one of them are going to take Kate Anderson. And I'm sure the angels are going to take, you know, either Doyle or Arnold. I have heard rumors like three weeks ago that they had a massive, massive underslot deal with a high school shortstop. I just think, like logically, with where Perry Menazian and Tim McLevin are with their contract statuses and where the Angels are with their competitive window and with Artie Moreno wanting to sell the team, none of that makes any sense. None of that adds up. So I would expect they're going to have someone in that organization that can contribute in 2026. I would be stunned if it went otherwise.
Starting point is 00:06:18 If Kate Anderson did get three, there's obviously been a lot made of the high pitch counts that he's had, especially recently over the course. course of the college world series is the guy that underwent Tommy John in 2022. You buy into that at all? You have any sort of concerns about Cade and his arm? I don't think so. I mean, listen, the Tommy John thing, you can't escape it. But at the end of the day, you know, Hagen Smith last year had had Tommy John in high school too. And he put together one of the most remarkable college baseball seasons in the history of ever. So I think for a lot of teams you look at it like all right well they already got the surgery so maybe they're not going to have to need the surgery for a handful of you maybe they you know maybe we get two three four years out
Starting point is 00:07:03 of them at the big league level before they have to get it again if they do have to get it again and a lot of times with those Tommy john surgeries and internal braces they come back stronger the UCL is considerably stronger um so listen at the end of the day like the the way that college coaches pitch their guys is that's just how it is. Like, that's the culture of college baseball. And if you wanted to disqualify guys for the way that they compete at the college level, you're going to have a really difficult time scouting and evaluating players. Because, I mean, Chase Burns did the exact same thing last year, too.
Starting point is 00:07:38 He threw like 119 pitches. And that's max effort, max velocity. You know, like, it just comes with the territory. Yeah. Colby, you got anything for Joe? Yeah. Mock draft season. Everybody's putting one out seemingly every other day.
Starting point is 00:07:54 It feels like the most common name we see going to Seattle is Ava Arquette, shortstop for Oregon State. We had Oliver Bachter on last week, two weeks ago. And he mentioned some of the yellow flags about Arquette and maybe why he's not such a home run pick that he might have seemed like a couple months ago. But what are your thoughts on Arquette? And do you think the Mariners, that is a path that they might actually go down? So I love Iva Arquette. I think he's a fantastic player. I think he is dreadfully undervalued as a shortstop.
Starting point is 00:08:29 I think he's undervalued as an athlete. I think he, I think some of the red flags defensively, athletically, the long levers that are brought up are overblown. All that being said, I have the luxury and the, I don't take this for granted. I have access to like systems and things that I can do really deep dives on some of these players. The fact that he's 6'5 and is a lean-bodied guy, he has had trouble with velocity in on his hands, and he has had issues with breaking balls low and away. I think if you can take away one of those at the next level and force a pitcher to beat you one way, great.
Starting point is 00:09:08 I think you can adjust to that. But I do have concerns as to whether or not Ivar Aket is actually going to hit at the big league level, because once you get to the big leagues, man, it's four or five pitches. and the command is like nothing you'll ever see. So I'll say this. I think there's quite a bit of risk with Iva Arquette as to whether or not he's going to hit. I do think there's going to be power there no matter what. But he's a very, very good shortstop, a very good shortstop.
Starting point is 00:09:32 I don't know if it is necessarily the appetite for risk that Seattle generally chases in the draft. I'm assuming they would love to have a college bat that moves fast, but I just don't know if he's their flavor. More from our conversation with Joe Doyle in just a moment, but first, a reminder this episode of the Locked-Oam Airs podcast is brought to you by Monarch Money. Ever check your bank account and wonder, where did all my money go? Between dining out, online shopping, and entertainment, it's easy to lose track. That's where Monarch Money comes in, your personal CFO giving you full visibility and control over your finances. Monarch Money isn't just a budgeting app. It's a complete financial command center.
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Starting point is 00:10:46 That's monarchmoney.com. promo code LOC, KED, O NMLB for half off your first year. You're listening to the Lockdown Mariners podcast. We're here with Joe Doyle talking Mariners draft. So Joe, you know, we haven't really heard anything about Ethan Holiday or Eli Willits, really any of the prep bats for the Mariners at number three. However, you've recently mocked Jojo Parker to them and you've outright said the Mariners like Jojo Parker.
Starting point is 00:11:17 So I want to ask you about that. How real is that? And what do you think about the possibility of Jojo Parker at three? Yeah, I mean, when I say they have seven or eight names on their list, Jojo is on the list. There are other high schoolers on the list. Steel Hall is on the list. Daniel Pierce is on the list.
Starting point is 00:11:35 To a lesser extent, there's guys further down the board that I think they really like. But, you know, I mentioned at the top, like bang for your buck, like underslot deals. If you can get one of these high schoolers that you really believe in, that you really believe is going to hit that has tools. like Steel Hall, like Jojo Parker, then paying them $6 million with the number three pick or, you know, I guess with the new guarantees, you'd have to pay him $7 million, but paying him $7 million with the number three pick and then getting another big high schooler at 35 and another big high schooler at $59 and another big, like that has more value than taking, I mean,
Starting point is 00:12:10 anybody, like Seth Hernandez for $9 million and then kind of having a more traditional draft the rest of the way. So I know Seattle really likes Jojo Parker. I think the issue with Jojo at this point, even over the course of the last three weeks since I've mocked him to Seattle, is it's like, okay, well, he's got a ton of love in Pittsburgh. He's got a ton of love in Miami. And those guys aren't so far behind you that you're going to have a hard time negotiating a signing bonus that's that low when there's teams right on your heels that want him as well. So I do think he is squarely in the fold. I think he's probably one of their three or four top names
Starting point is 00:12:47 with the pick, but at the end of the day I'm working on another mock draft for next week. He's probably not going to be the pick in that one. Just based on your personal preferences, how would you rank like your top three guys for the mayor's?
Starting point is 00:13:03 My personal preferences. So looking at my board, can we, so let's assume Kate Anderson is gone. Is that fair? Yeah, that's fine. So assuming assuming he's gone, my preface for Seattle would be Liam Doyle.
Starting point is 00:13:19 Well, actually, my preface would be Eli Willits at one. I think Eli Willits is just a sum of his parts that is like the safest high school bat you're going to find. Like it's above average speed. It's above average defense. It's elite bat to ball skills. Even if he doesn't grow into power, like you can do a lot worse than drafting Tommy Edmund at number three.
Starting point is 00:13:38 People, you know, don't give Tommy Edmund enough respect for the big league career that he's put together. And my comp for Eli Willits is Eric Ibar, who tortured Seattle for years and years and years. But Eli would be my first choice. I think any combination of Liam Doyle or Jamie Arnold would probably be one B and one C and then I would have Jojo next. Interesting. Colby. Yeah. So obviously we're all in draft mode right now. But drafting good players doesn't mean anything if you can't develop them in Seattle, obviously right now building a very good reputation. for their development system. I'm wondering if there's a prospect out there that, you know, maybe isn't getting a ton of hype, but you would just love to see Seattle get their hands on
Starting point is 00:14:24 because you think they can do something better than, you know, dozens of other teams and really maximize that guy's talent. Is there somebody like that in this draft? Oh, yes, 1,000 percent. There always is, right? You just have to find him. The guy that I'm in love with that I think makes a ton of sense at 35. I don't know if he's going to get there is Tennessee righty, A.J. Russell.
Starting point is 00:14:43 he is six foot six i don't know how many innings he has this year he might have 13 innings this year they kind of brought him back a little bit too quick from the internal brace and then they had to shut him down for three weeks because of soreness and now he's back and he kind of pitched out of the bullpen down the stretch but it's six foot six it's 225 pounds it's nearly seven feet of extension and it's a launch height that like is like 60 inches like it's just barely above Ryan woo and that's for a six-foot-six-inch righty that throws 98. So that's the sort of guy that over the course of the last seven years,
Starting point is 00:15:23 Seattle has just knocked out of the park, like consistently over and over. And there are other guys like that. You know, Gage Wood is six feet tall, though. Kyson-Wetherstone is 5-11, and they have some similar traits. The fact that you can get a guy that's six-foot-six with the elite extension, man, like, that's just speaking my volume. The other guy would be Patrick Forbes, who is a righty at Louisville. More conventional, it's a little bit lower arm slot, but that same fastball that just blows up at the top of the zone,
Starting point is 00:15:53 right now it's fringe average strikes. And I think that's the concern is like, can you get him to a place where he's walking three and a half per nine? Right? Because if you can, it's number three upside. But yeah, I mean, at pick number 35, just the way this draft bores out and with where Seattle is drafting, the chances of them taking a college pitcher at 35, I think, is extraordinarily low. But if they did, those would be my two targets for sure. If they don't, who else do you have your eye on there at 35?
Starting point is 00:16:25 Any number of high school short stops. They have so much money, you guys. They have so much money to spend in this draft. And when I say they are struggling to find a way to spend it, I mean it. Like they don't want to spend a lot of money at Pick 3. and to be to be fair i don't think any team in picking in the top five wants to spend a lot of money kate anderson ethan holliday wouldn't have gone in the top eight picks in 2024 they wouldn't have gone in the top seven picks in 2023 um so teams are struggling to want to spend that much money at the top
Starting point is 00:16:56 so they're going to cut a deal at three and i would look at guys like well i brought up daniel pierce if he can first if daniel pierce can somehow get to pick 24 25 26 I think Scott Hunter and Jerry Depoto and everybody involved there would start making phone calls. And I think we could see another Ryan Sloan situation where they give one of those high school shortstop, Steele Hall, Daniel Pierce. I'd throw Josh Hammond in there. They might just overpay him to get to pick 35. But if not, I would look at guys like Nikki Becker, who is a New Jersey kid, who I believe is from like a similar area as to where Scott Hunter lives.
Starting point is 00:17:35 So I don't think that's, you know, out of the question to think that he's seen him more than some other guys. Other guys like Jordan Yost is a shortstop out of Florida that's got a 70 run grade. You know, I would look at those guys. I would look at the three high schoolers that I mentioned and then maybe Nikki Becker and Jordan Yost as options as well. So outside of that crop of prep shortstop that you just talked about, where is the meat and potatoes? of this draft. You talked about this a little bit, but positionally, round slash pick wise, like,
Starting point is 00:18:11 where are teams going to get the most value in this draft? I do genuinely believe it's in that 35 range. It's in that, like, 25 to 70 range. There's a lot of good high school short stops in this class, a lot of them. And there's a decent amount of exciting
Starting point is 00:18:29 high school pitching, too. You know, I mentioned that Seattle is struggling to spend their money. I would be surprised if they didn't walk away from the 2025 draft with a high school pitcher, whether it be a 59 or 76, 73, wherever that second pick is. There's just so much money. I mean, unless they go balls to the wall at 35 and they overpay someone like I just mentioned, they're going to be able to significantly oversot someone at 55 or 59 or wherever that is.
Starting point is 00:19:01 And maybe again in the 70s. So the meat and potatoes of this draft is all on the high school side. And there's some interesting college pitching as well as you get through the fourth round. But yeah, it's going to be a high school heavy draft for Seattle. Our conversation with Joe Doyle continues in just a moment. But first a reminder, this episode of the Lockedomeres podcast is brought to you by Rougiette. All right, guys, you've heard of Viagra and Seattle. Right.
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Starting point is 00:20:21 Individual results may vary with prescription treatment. Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed under federal law but are not FDA approved and do not undergo FDA safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing review. Please visit the Ruggiat website for full safety information. You're listening to the Lockdown Marrars podcast. We're talking Mariners Draft with Joe Doyle, Future Stars series, and overslaught an MLB draft podcast over on Patreon. Colby, what do you got for Joe?
Starting point is 00:20:50 Yeah, I'm curious. We just wrapped up the College World Series. Who made themselves the most money over the last month or so with their performance in the postseason? well i think gauge would probably made himself the most money yeah yeah yeah that's through a no-hitter yeah in omaha um i don't care if it was murray state it i mean you got to be a good ball club to get to omaha like point blank period yeah yeah so i think gauge wood took himself from like 25 to 35 to like 12 to 17 in this drop so i mean probably made himself two two and a half
Starting point is 00:21:26 million dollars the other one is kate anderson Kate Anderson, like, when you think of the way that the bonuses are divvied out over the top of the draft, Kate Anderson went from a guy who I think Seattle was really hoping was going to just be there at three to if he goes one, that's a million and a half dollar difference. You know, I don't know how it's going to be spread out. It may end up being like 800,000, but yeah, he made himself a lot of money. Anybody else that really made themselves some money? I thought Vahiva-A-Loy looked very good in the postseason,
Starting point is 00:22:02 and I think getting more eyeballs on Vahiva-A-Loy probably improved his draft stock. And I'll throw one more out there just because I like talking about it. I think Caden Bodine at Coastal Carolina, when you play at Coastal Carolina, you don't get a ton of opportunities to show how good you are on a national stage. And I thought his pitch-framing and catch-and-throw and defense in general, alongside the part that he hit like two homers, I think he may have moved himself up like 10 spots as well.
Starting point is 00:22:34 So all good names. We're roughly a year removed from last year's draft class. I want to know, how do you feel about the Mariners' 2024 draft class now? Oh man, I have to go back and look at it. I spend so much time on the next draft that I get kind of lost. Okay. Right.
Starting point is 00:22:56 Yeah. So, you know, when I look at the 2024 draft, the one thing that stands out to me, and I was thinking about this a couple of months ago, was at the time, I don't think it felt like there was a talent cliff after like pick 15 last year, but there really was, right? I mean, you saw all those college bats go and you saw Connor Griffin go and then you saw, you know, Seaver King and Cam Smith and some of those guys go, Christian Moore. It feels like. Gerangelo Sanja was, while he was a good pick, like, clearly in the next tier of talent. So I think that's the one thing that I think back on and reflect is, Gerangelo was just not in the same tier as some of those college hitters. Now, footage of Ryan Sloan was really hard to come by coming into that draft. He pitched in cold weather. It was, you know, he pitched very late in the year. the angles that people got were never great,
Starting point is 00:23:58 that kid is unbelievable. That kid's going to be crazy good. Like, the way he moves on the mound is so exceptionally explosive. And his tempo down the mound for his size, the extension, how fast his arm is, he's touching 99 already. Like Ryan Sloan looks like he would have been a top 10 pick in 2020. 27 if you would have gone to school. And the fact that they got him for three million bucks flat, that's going to pay off very
Starting point is 00:24:32 well over time if he stays healthy. The other guys, you know, like the Baylinson's and, you know, all the, all the other relievers. I'm a little bit surprised Hunter Cranton hasn't kind of just moved quickly, but it is what it is. I like that they kind of went for it with Ryan Sloan because I think, I think you've got a chance to have a legitimate, like number two, maybe an ace. at the top of the rotation with some of the stuff that he's throwing right now. I know you're like pretty much in draft mode right now,
Starting point is 00:25:02 but I have to ask you about, you know, the Smeras Farm as a whole as we approach not just the draft, but also the trade deadline. Brendan Donovan might be the best player that gets moved at the deadline, for example. How many guys in the Smeras Farm system would you not trade for Brennan Donovan, I guess? I mean, outside of a surprise name hitting the trade market, which I don't think anybody's really identified it yet.
Starting point is 00:25:27 I wouldn't move Emerson. I wouldn't move Celestine. I wouldn't move Ryan Sloan. You would be really hard pressed to get me to move Johnny Farmello at this point, just because it feels too early. Like you still want to really figure out what that is. The other guys, like, I don't know. I think also let me throw just an idea out at you guys
Starting point is 00:25:51 because this was put on my on my table a few hours back and i thought it was very interesting we know or we've talked about the fact that i've arquette might not make sense for seattle and i think a lot of people would say all right well that eliminates them from the college bat thing what if seattle drafted ike irish took a big cut at pick three and it afforded them the leverage to move harry forward because listen there are folks myself included who think Ike Irish is the most complete college bat in the class. And even if he doesn't end up at catcher, you can put that guy in right field or at DH or a lot of places.
Starting point is 00:26:32 He played third base in high school and do some pretty creative things. So I don't know. I want to throw the Ike Irish idea out there just in case in case it happens. So it's on the internet. Yeah. Well, that's interesting. Because we've talked about like, all right, if you're a cat maybe now you're a bit more willing to trade one of your other middle middle infield
Starting point is 00:26:54 prospects yeah but yeah but instead an irish with ford is pretty interesting yeah i mean chuckling a little bit because i actually threw that idea out there on a private slack that we're a part of uh that like should we be talking about ike irish and like the top five and and it was pretty roundly resounding no yeah like no that's stupid they're not and i'm like okay well listen like at At the end of the day, like I said, like I think this team is trying to figure out how to most appropriately spend their money. And if you think Ike Irish for $6.5 or $7 million at pick three
Starting point is 00:27:31 is the most like responsible value move. And I'm not saying he's a bad player. I haven't been number 10 on my board. But if you think it makes the most sense and he stretches out the value for the rest of the draft and it affords you the ability to move Harry for two or three weeks later, I think you need to seriously consider that. You never draft for need, but you can kind of ostensibly think it as, okay, we're drafting like Irish, and it's providing us value because we can trade forward for a different value. There's just, there's, there's ways to think about this draft.
Starting point is 00:28:05 There's a way to attack this draft that I think are kind of big brain, galaxy brain things that maybe need to be brought up a little bit more. But to answer your original question, Ty, I wouldn't move Emerson. I wouldn't move Celestine. I wouldn't move Farmel. or Sloan, some of the other guys. And I would be hard pressed to find a match for Montez that makes a lot of sense. But I think that answers your question. So tell us a little more about Ike Irish then. Like what's the what's so special about the bat that you would consider taking him at three when nobody else is really talking about this right now?
Starting point is 00:28:43 Yeah. So one, he was the best hitter in the SEC. And historically, come on. Like it's the SEC. It's the closest thing to double A that you're going to find. It's at least in proximity to high A. It's like solid average to above average bat to ball skills. It is remarkable barrel awareness.
Starting point is 00:29:04 His hard hit rate was over 61% this season. Average ex of Velo was in the top 25 in college baseball, hit a ball 114. I think the thing that I love about Ike Irish is, while some people will frame it as, okay, he had just like average contact rates inside the zone. Like it was fine. The guy had a 76, and I might be getting nerdbrained here, but that's fine. The guy had a 76% contact rate when he swung at pitches outside of the zone.
Starting point is 00:29:32 He had a 24% whiff rate on balls when he swung at them. And the crazy thing about that is not that he did it. The crazy thing about that is he had a 95 mile an hour exit velo. year, average exit villa. He had a 61% barrel rate this season. And he's swinging and making contact at pitches that aren't strikes. That 114 I mentioned was a ball below the zone. It wasn't a strike.
Starting point is 00:30:00 His hardest hit ball was a ball. So I think his adjustability, his ability to cover the zone, his ability to cover pitches outside of the zone, to foul pitches off to battle, I think it really stands out. If you look at the numbers and you look at his at bats on the surface level without going that deep, I think you see an average hitter. But I think if you dive deeper and you look a little more under the hood,
Starting point is 00:30:26 I think this could be like an above average to plus hitter who's just kind of finding his footing. How many prospects in this draft is total? Would you rank higher than Colt Emerson? That's going to be really telling. I think one. Yeah. I don't think you'll get who it is, though. He's not my flavor.
Starting point is 00:30:55 That's right. I think Seth Hernandez. I think Seth Hernandez would be the only guy. And I don't have him. Yeah, I think Seth Hernandez would be the only guy that I would take above Colt Emerson. But the level of risk that comes alongside a high school righty, we've seen, I almost tweeted about it. And then I was like, this is just going to bury some guys. But I was like,
Starting point is 00:31:17 Like, Mick Abel, tough look so far. Andrew Painter has taken a long time. Jackson Job, down again. Dylan Lesko, down again. Max Meyer, like none of, or Max Meyer was Minnesota, but you get my point, like, none of these high school varieties are working out. Like none of them, the precedent isn't great. And I think especially when you're in a front office and time is not on your side,
Starting point is 00:31:43 maybe it's on the side of this front office, but you get my point. you need guys that can contribute now, not in 2029. So he would probably rank ahead of Colt Emerson, but that would be the only one. Joe, this was great as always. Really appreciate your insight. Let's get you back on some time after the draft to talk about what the mayor has wind up doing.
Starting point is 00:32:04 Let's do it. Let's do it. Good to be with you guys. Yeah, for sure. Thanks so much. All right, that is going to do it for our show. Thank you again to Joe Doyle for joining us. And thank you so much for joining us here.
Starting point is 00:32:15 On the Locked-on Mariners podcast for Colby Patnode, I'm Tadangazales. Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter at LO underscore Mariners. You can follow me at Tidin Gazzalus and Colby at C-Pat-11. We're also on Blue Sky. You can follow me at TDG, Colby at MLB Colby, and the show at Locked-on Mariners. You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok at Locked-on Mariners. Have yourself a beautiful baseball day, and we'll see you next time. Peace.

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