​We’ve spent some time weighing the first-round options for who the Mariners might take at pick 24, but they also have three more selections on Day One: 65, 101, and 129. Will Seattle play it safe with high-floor college players, or push their luck and try to leverage a small bonus pool to reach prep talent, while balancing the roster with money-saving senior signs? We’re splitting our selections for rounds 2 through 4 into two categories: Taking Your Medicine (safe floor, lower ceiling) vs. Eating Ice Cream (riskier, higher ceiling, with the possibility of a tummy ache).
Caden Ferraro, OF, Texas Tech
Max informs me that Ferraro and another candidate I’m considering for this tier—Ty Head, an outfielder from NC State—are probably off the board by pick 65, but a girl can dream. Both are very Mariners-type hitters who don’t strike out much and make a lot of contact. Head, who can play center field and thus is the better defender, will likely go higher, which is why I’m concentrating on Ferraro here. Still, Ferraro has been climbing draft boards thanks to consistent, loud exit velocities that light up model projections for teams. Ferraro profiles as a corner outfielder who might eventually move to DH, but the bat is exceptionally strong. He has a better chance of being available for the Mariners in the second round than Head does, though both have been popular targets lately.
Ryan Cooney, 2B, Oregon
Cooney feels very Mariners-y to me because he does everything well without any single standout exaggeration; it’s a blend reminiscent of Cole Young, but with less power and more speed. He’s a contact machine who looks as if his bat is magnetized—career 91% contact rate in zone is extraordinarily impressive. This feels like a very safe choice, especially with local ties to the area.
Jake Schaffner, SS, North Carolina
Schaffner is, in theory, a pipe dream of a pick to reach all the way to 65, but he remains a superb baseball player. He makes tons of contact and carries plus bat-to-ball skills with evident feel for the barrel. He’s selective with his walks and struck out in fewer than 10% of his plate appearances in his first season against ACC competition. Schaffner, a UNC shortstop, has played all three infield positions except first base and swiped 26 bases last season while being caught only three times; the power isn’t overwhelming, but his consistent contact has proven effective. He would be an outstanding addition if he were available, though odds are he’s gone before this point.
Tre Phelps, 3B, Georgia
This might be a chalky, slightly old-school pick, more vitamin than medicine, but an older college bat with discernible limitations is exactly the type of conservative move the Mariners have adopted in the early-to-middle rounds. Phelps was a standout on campus for the Bulldogs this year, driving the ball through the zone with an approach geared toward elevation. It’s a straightforward, shop-tested profile: a veteran college bat with proven contact, limited power, and a reasonable chance to contribute at the professional level.