Seattle Mariners Draft Analysis: Predicting What the Team Will Do on Draft Day

While the Seattle Mariners are finally more focused on the present, the MLB draft always provides an interesting glimpse into what a franchise may look like in the future.

Seattle's situation in this year's draft, which begins on June 8, is quite different than in previous years. The Mariners have had three top six picks over the past four years, but they do not have a first-round pick this year due to the addition of Nelson Cruz.

While top picks have not always panned out, the Mariners have found some success in the middle and late rounds. Seven members of the current 25-man roster were acquired through the draft, including All-Star Kyle Seager in the third round in 2009.

Trying to put together an MLB mock draft after the first few picks is a difficult task. Predicting who might be available when the Mariners pick at No. 60 is all but impossible. Still, recent trends give some indication about what the Mariners might be looking for in the 2015 draft.

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The Mariners finally go back to pitching with their first pick

Drafting based on current need is unwise—a franchise could look completely different by the time a draft pick reaches the majors. Most teams say they don't do it, but it always seems to have some impact on the thought process in the draft.

The Mariners, forever offensively challenged, have primarily addressed that side of things in recent drafts. Alex Jackson, D.J. Peterson and Mike Zunino, Seattle's first-round picks over the past three years, were all regarded as polished hitters with tons of power at the time of being drafted.

Seattle is currently feeling the impact of focusing so much on offense at the major league level. Just about every young top pitching prospect has graduated to the major-league level. The Mariners have also dealt a number of power relievers over the years, leaving them with little organizational pitching depth.

That could lead the Mariners to be interested in adding arms early and often. Seattle could look for a raw high school pitcher with plenty of upside in the second round, much as it did with drafting Taijuan Walker No. 43 overall in 2010.

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Seattle grabs a prep bat at No. 72

The Mariners have been fairly split between high school and college selections in the first round in recent years. However, they have added a number of high school bats in the second round in the Jack Zduriencik era, including the very raw Gareth Morgan last season.

Seattle won't be expecting an impact player with their competitive-balance pick at No. 72, as all the top prep bats will be off the board at the time. A high school outfielder with raw power might be a good fit here.

Expect more under slot signings in the later rounds

Seattle has been assigned a bonus pool of $4,186,000, which ranks 27th in the majors. The slot value for No. 60 is just over $1 million, which will likely use a large chunk of that pool up.

With no first-round pick, the Mariners will probably want to ensure they sign their two picks in the second round so they can at least add a couple of high-potential prospects. Seattle probably won't want to risk adding a player they may not be able to sign, or reaching for someone under slot.

The under-slot signings will likely come somewhere in Rounds 3-10. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing: The Mariners added unheralded pitcher Ryan Yarbrough in the fourth round last season for way under slot due to the expensive bonuses paid out to Jackson and Morgan. Yarbrough put together a dominant 2014 season and is quickly rising up prospect lists.