Seattle's front office didn't waste much time getting its top pick under contract. Ace Reese, the Mississippi State third baseman the Mariners took with the No. 24 overall pick, is officially signed, and the numbers are exactly the kind of thing draftniks love to argue about.
Jim Callis broke down the signing bonus and Reese's college production.
As reported by @DKramer_ on @MLBDraft day, Reese agreed w/@Mariners for $3.5 million (slot 24 value = $3,818,700) & officially signed today. @HailStateBB 3B, tremendous lefty power, 45 HR in two seasons w/@Bulldogs.
Per Callis, Reese agreed to a $3.5 million bonus, which comes in a little under the assigned slot value of $3,818,700 for pick No. 24. That's not Seattle lowballing a guy — that's just how bonus pools work. Teams routinely sign top picks under slot to free up cash for over-slot deals later in the draft, and shaving roughly $300,000 off a first-rounder's number is small change in the grand scheme.
The bat is the real story here. Reese transferred to Mississippi State from Houston ahead of the 2025 season and immediately turned into one of the scariest left-handed hitters in the SEC, posting a .341/.425/.719 line and blasting 45 home runs across just 118 games with the Bulldogs. That kind of power output got him named SEC Newcomer of the Year in 2025 and a first-team All-SEC third baseman the following year.
At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Reese was widely regarded as the top third base prospect in this draft class, ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 18 overall prospect before Seattle scooped him up. For a Mariners system that's leaned heavily on pitching development in recent years, adding a corner bat with legitimate 30-plus-homer upside is the kind of infusion the lineup could use down the road.
Getting the deal done this quickly matters too. Signing early means Reese can report to a Mariners affiliate and start his pro clock almost immediately rather than sitting in negotiation limbo into August. For a college performer with this much swing-and-miss power already translating against SEC pitching, the sooner he's facing pro arms, the sooner Seattle finds out how real the bat plays.
It's early, and third basemen with this kind of leverage always come with swing-and-miss questions to sort out in pro ball. But for a fanbase that's watched this front office prioritize pitching depth for years, landing the draft's best power bat at third and locking him up for $3.5 million is the kind of aggressive, no-nonsense move that's easy to get excited about.