​The Seattle Mariners used the 24th overall pick in the 2026 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Saturday to take one of college baseball’s premier sluggers, Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese. At 21 years old, Reese earned a spot on D1Baseball’s Second-team All-American list after hitting .336 (83-for-247) with a career-high 24 home runs and 74 RBIs for the Bulldogs this spring.
“We’ve got a track record of success,” Mariners Vice President of Amateur Scouting Scott Hunter said from inside T-Mobile Park’s main interview room. “He’s proven it at every level. To be that successful and impactful in the SEC right now—he handles both right-handers and left-handers— and we’re fortunate he slipped to us at this point in the draft.”
During a FaceTime call with Hunter, Reese looked “all smiles” as he learned of the selection. Hunter regards the 6-foot-4, 220-pound slugger as one of the SEC’s most intimidating bats. Reese’s 24 homers mark the fifth-most in a single season in Mississippi State history, signaling him as only the third Bulldog to notch consecutive 20-homer seasons.
“It was an amazing experience, everything I’ve dreamed of,” Reese said of being drafted by the Mariners. “It was unbelievable. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Mariners’ development system, and I definitely had them on my list of teams I wanted to join, so I was thrilled when the opportunity came.”
Hunter noted that Seattle anticipated a volatile draft with several names in play, keeping roughly a dozen candidates on their board. If a surprise drop occurred, it would simplify their decision. Reese, who Baseball America ranked as the 12th overall draft prospect, appeared on Hunter’s radar as a top candidate. “Our analysts indicate he’s probably among the top three hitters in the country, and his profile suggests he could jump in and contribute right away,” Hunter said. “I’m not going to pin a timetable on a player, but given what he accomplished in the SEC—a league that’s a different animal today for college baseball—it’s genuinely impressive.”
Seattle has leaned on college talent for its last three first-round selections, continuing a pattern since 2024 that has featured switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (15th, 2024) and left-hander Kade Anderson (3rd, 2025). “Knock on wood, we’re fielding competitive pitching and want to sustain the momentum we’ve built with Cole Young and Colt Emerson, and of course Cal Raleigh a few years back,” Hunter said. “If we can keep adding impactful bats like Ace Reese, it strengthens our foundation and helps our organization grow.”
This story will be updated as more details emerge.