Arkansas Travelers announce 2026 roster, headlined by Mariners top two pitching prospects

SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 6: Kade Anderson #13 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium on March 6, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers, is already underway (Max has the recap for you on Triple-A Opening Weekend here. ) The Mariners’ Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers, open up their season at home in Dickey-Stephens Park on April 7.

Today the Travs announced their 2026 roster, and the big news is that the Mariners’ two top pitching prospects, LHP Kade Anderson and RHP Ryan Sloan, will skip past High-A Everett and start the season directly in Double-A, often used as a launching pad for the big leagues. Anderson, a College World Series champion with LSU, was the Mariners’ first-round choice this past draft. A polished pitcher with advanced command over a sophisticated arsenal, it’s not surprising to see Anderson assigned directly to Double-A, as that’s common practice with these kinds of experienced college pitchers.

Anderson often draws comparisons to Blue Jays lefty Trey Yesavage, another college arm drafted in the first round, who jumped from A-ball to pitching in MLB by the end of the season. The Mariners are opting to skip Anderson directly to Double-A rather than jump him all over the country, but don’t be surprised to see him up with the big-league team by the end of the year, just like Yesavage. Sloan is a bigger surprise.

Sloan, who just turned 20 at the end of January, was drafted by the Mariners 55th overall out of his Chicago-area high school in 2024, with the Mariners buying him out of his college commitment to Wake Forest for $3M. After taking his draft year to learn the Mariners system and processes, Sloan started 2025 in Modesto, earning a promotion to High-A Everett by the end of the season. The Mariners invited Sloan to big-league camp this spring and he was impressive at every turn, capping off his spring with a dominant performance against the top-ranked Brewers farm in the Spring Breakout game.