Mariners take Kentucky 1B Evan White with 17th overall pick, high-school pitcher Sam Carlson at No. 55
Jun 12, 2017, 6:21 PM | Updated: 8:33 pm
With their first two picks in the 2017 MLB Draft on Monday, the Mariners chose University of Kentucky first baseman Evan White at No. 17 overall and and high-school pitcher Sam Carlson at No. 55.
White hit .373 with 10 home runs, 24 doubles, 41 RBIs and a .453 on-base percentage over 53 games during his recently-completed junior season at Kentucky. In 159 games over three college seasons, he hit .356 with 17 home runs, 51 doubles, 109 RBIs and a .414 OBP. He’s a semifinalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and was a second-team All-SEC selection.
White, 21, bats right-handed and throws left-handed. He’s listed at 6 feet 3, 205 pounds and is from Gahanna, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus.
Scott Hunter, the Mariners’ director of amateur scouting, said in the club’s press release: “We’re very excited to add Evan White to the organization. His addition will give us another athletic player whose character and baseball acumen will allow him to have success. He understands and values what the Seattle Mariners are all about, both on and off the field.”
White is the fifth consecutive non-pitcher the Mariners have selected with their first-round pick following Kyle Lewis last year, Alex Jackson in 2014, D.J. Peterson in 2013 and Mike Zunino in 2012. The last pitcher Seattle chose with its top pick was Danny Hultzen in 2011.
Carlson is a right-hander from Burnsville High School in Minnesota, where he posted a 0.53 ERA with 16 walks and 53 strikeouts during his senior season. He was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017.
