When the Seattle Mariners selected Ryan Sloan with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, it turned heads. Not just because he was ranked the No. 19 prospect on MLB Pipeline's pre-draft boards, but because Seattle shelled out nearly $1.4 million over slot to sign the high schooler away from a college commitment.
Less than a year later, that aggressive move already looks like one of the best decisions on draft day in the Jerry Dipoto era.
Sloan, just 19 years old, has quickly become one of the biggest pitching prospects in baseball, now ranking as the No.