M’s land 4 prospects on Baseball America’s first top 100 of 2026

Baseball America released its first top 100 prospects list for the 2026 season on Wednesday, and it doesn’t feature nearly as many Seattle Mariners as it did at the end of last season.

The Mariners landed four players in Baseball America’s initial rankings for the upcoming season: shortstop Colt Emerson, outfielder Lazaro Montes, left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson and right-handed pitcher Ryan Sloan.

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Having four prospects make the rankings is a noticeable dip from where the M’s were when they had eight in Baseball America’s final major top 100 update last August. But they did trade one away this offseason when catcher Harry Ford, who was ranked 99th in Wednesday’s update, was traded to the Washington Nationals for left-handed reliever Jose A. Ferrer.

Outfielder Michael Arroyo, outfielder Jonny Farmelo and switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje were the three M’s prospects to fall out of the rankings.

However, Arroyo did appear in Baseball America’s list of 20 prospect who just missed the top 100. In response to a reader comment on the latest rankings, Baseball America editor-in-chief JJ Cooper explained Arroyo, who was 60th in last year’s final rankings, dropped due to uncertainty of how he’d handle a new position. The M’s are transitioning the 21-year-old from second base to left field, which figures to give him a clearer path to the big leagues.

Here’s a look at the Mariners’ four players in the Baseball America’s latest top 100.

Colt Emerson

Ranking: No. 7
2025 minor league stats: .285/.383/.458 (.841 OPS), 28 double, six triples, 16 home runs, 78 RBIs, 71 walks, 105 strikeouts, 14 stolen bases in 130 games across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A

A first-round pick in 2023, Emerson rocketed through three levels of the minors in his age-19 season, which included going 8 for 22 with two homers in six Triple-A games during September. He will have a chance to make the big league club out of spring training at just 20 years old. Even if he doesn’t, he’s about as close to lock as there can be to debut this year, barring injury.

Kade Anderson

Ranking: No. 25
2025 college stats: 12-1 record, 3.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 180 strikeouts, 35 walks over 119 innings pitched in 19 starts

Due to his heavy college workload while helping LSU win the national title, Anderson didn’t throw a pitch in the minor leagues after the Mariners drafted him in July. However, he was considered the most MLB-ready pitcher in his draft class and is expected to debut in the majors sooner rather than later.

Lazaro Montes

Ranking: No. 58
2025 minor league stats: .241/.354/.504 (.858 OPS), 19 doubles, seven triples, 32 home runs, 89 RBIs, 83 walks, 169 strikeouts, seven stolen bases in 131 games across High-A and Double-A

Montes continued to showcase his tantalizing power while hitting the third-most homers in the minors last year, but did see his average go down as he graduated to face better pitching and play in the tougher hitting environment of the Texas League, batting .213 in 64 Double-A games. The 21-year-old outfielder is another strong candidate to debut at some point this season.

Ryan Sloan

Ranking: No. 60
2025 minor league stats: 2-4 record, 3.73 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 90 strikeouts, 15 walks over 82 innings pitched in 21 starts across Single-A and High-A

Sloan, a second-round pick in 2024, put together an impressive first pro season and was among the Mariners’ highest rising prospects last year. Still just 19 years old and having not pitched above High-A, Sloan may not reach the big leagues this year, but it also wouldn’t be big surprise if the 6-foot-5 righty found his way on the roster by September.

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