Mariners Mock Draft Roundup: Favorite emerges at pick No. 3

The Seattle Mariners are less than three weeks away from what’s shaping up to be an exciting draft for the franchise.

The MLB Draft kicks off Sunday, July 13 in Atlanta. Thanks to some luck in the draft lottery, the M’s hold the third pick (their highest since taking Mike Zunino at No. 3 in the 2012 draft) despite just missing the playoffs last year.

Five players Mariners could trade for at 3B, a big position of need

This year’s draft class is thought of as having plenty of parity at the top with no true clear-cut favorite to go No. 1 overall. Yet draft prognosticators have started to zero in on the same selection for Seattle at No. 3 overall.

Here is a look at who eight different mock drafts have the Mariners taking with third selection, which leans heavily towards a player with Pacific Northwest ties.

Seattle Mariners mock draft roundup

• MLB.com: Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State

What they said: “This probably comes down to the best college bat or the best college arm. Arquette has separated himself among the college bats as the one who really fits in the top five picks or so.”

• Baseball America: Arquette

What they said: “We’ve previously tied the Mariners with upside high school players, but there’s some thought that they might want to add a fast-moving college bat to help out their big league pitching. It’s not a great class for that strategy, but Arquette is the best college hitter and seems like one of the favorites here. (Liam) Doyle and Jamie Arnold could also be fits, and Eli Willits seems to check a lot of the boxes Seattle seems to target with high school hitters.

Seth Hernandez’s name doesn’t get mentioned here much, but I have to think he’s in the mix considering Seattle’s pitching development and how locked in some of their higher ups have been on him this spring. One potential darkhorse option here is Jojo Parker, whose market typically starts a bit after this. It sounds like the Mariners really like him.”

• ESPN: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State

What they said: “The Mariners seem to be zeroed in on pitching with (Kade) Anderson and Arnold being the best fits for them, along with high school pitcher Seth Hernandez if they can stomach taking a prep right-hander this high. In this scenario, I think they just take Arnold. Oregon State shortstop Aiva Arquette is still being scouted for this pick and I’ve heard Ike Irish and JoJo Parker brought up, but they seem to be on the outside looking in right now.”

• Future Stars Series: JoJo Parker, SS/3B, Purvis HS (Miss.)

What they said: “The Seattle Mariners like JoJo Parker. That is inarguable. Whether he will be the pick remains to be seen.

“… There’s an undercurrent in the industry that believes Parker has the best overall hit tool in this class, regardless of age. Seattle could probably land him at the No. 3 pick for an under-slot deal as well.”

• Just Baseball: Arquette

What they said: “The Mariners do like Kade Anderson, and if the Angels do not select him, he’s the likely pick here.

“However, the Angels pick in this scenario, and while they are connected to some high-upside prep guys, Arquette is viewed as the safest collegiate option here. He’s a legitimate shortstop with robust power, even if there are some questions to be answered. JoJo Parker and Seth Hernandez would make sense, too.”

• FloBaseball: Arquette

What they said: “Arquette was the most dominant hitter in college baseball, leading the Beavers to Omaha where they had an early exit. Arquette is a strong hitter, hitting .345 with 17 doubles, 19 home runs for 66 RBI in 65 games. His upside for the Mariners is his fielding potential, as he has one of the best arms in college baseball.

If drafted by the Mariners, he is likely to make the shift from shortstop to third base.”

•Bleacher Report: Arquette

What they said: “The Mariners have not selected a college hitter in the first round since drafting Evan White out of the University of Kentucky with the No. 17 overall pick back in 2017, and with Liam Doyle and Jamie Arnold still on the board they could go back to the college pitching well once again.

• The Athletic: Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU

What they said: “Right now Anderson is going somewhere in the top four picks. I think Seattle would take Anderson even if Liam Doyle is on the board.”

More on the Seattle Mariners

• New level, same power: M’s prospect Montes mashes 435-foot HR
• Seattle Mariners trade targets from each clear deadline seller
• Seattle Mariners officially letting 1B Rowdy Tellez go
• Seattle Mariners’ series finale at Minnesota delayed by rain
• Olney: How Seattle Mariners can separate themselves in AL

Related

Mariners’ Cal Raleigh wins AL Player of the Week after 5-HR barrageMariners Roster Move: Key reliever back from long IL stintLineups: Mariners start series at Fenway vs Red SoxMariners-Red Sox Series Preview: M’s look for rare feat in BostonReports: Mariners to promote slugging OF Lazaro MontesScherzer, Blue Jays blank Mariners 7-0 to sweep series