Who is Kade Anderson? Everything you need to know about Mariners' No.3 2025 MLB Draft pick from LSU

The Seattle Mariners picked Kade Anderson as the No.3 pick in this year's draft on Sunday. Anderson was drafted by the Mariners after leading the LSU Tigers to the College World Series title this year.

The LSU Tigers were also victorious in 2023, which saw Paul Skenes get drafted as the No.1 pick. Anderson will look to follow in his footsteps after being touted by MLB Pipeline as the best pitching prospect heading into the draft.

Anderson's draft stock rose since December, when he was ranked No. 44. After pitching as a midweek starter and weekend reliever for most of 2024, the 21-year-old became the Tigers' top pitching arm.

He pitched 16 innings during the College World Series, including a 1-0 shutout against Coastal Carolina in the first game, where he clocked 130 pitches. He carried a 12-1 record with a 3.18 ERA and 180 strikeouts most in Division-I for all eligible pitchers, and was also named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

As a native of Slidell, Louisiana, Anderson was an unstoppable force during his high school days. Pitching for St. Paul's School in Covington, he held a 28-1 record with a 0.22 ERA and 212 strikeouts until his senior year, which he missed due to Tommy John surgery.

Anderson is a southpaw with a four-pitch arsenal. He has a fastball that averages 92-94 mph and has tended to do well statistically, with a lack of velocity. Alongside a changeup, he also has two breaking balls, a curveball and a slider, that have been reported to be above average.

Kade Anderson describes the type of pitcher he is

After being drafted by Seattle, Anderson described himself as a pitcher who can bounce back to their best after a few bad spells.

“I think it's easy to determine a pitcher based on when you're doing good, but I think the ultimate kind of factor for me is when it's not going well, what do you react like?” Anderson said. “And just to continue to go out there and battle, and that's the kind of pitcher I am.”

Anderson signed with the Mariners for $8.8 million bonus, leaving them with $700,000 allotted for the No.3 spot, which they can now add back to their bonus pool. They have the second-highest bonus pool heading into Day 2 of the Draft at $17,074,400.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash