
The Seattle Mariners have put together one of the best farm systems in baseball over the last several seasons.
At various points this past season, the Mariners had nine top 100 prospects according to both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline.
Seattle added to its minor league ranks with multiple selections in the Rule 5 draft Wednesday at the MLB winter meetings in Orlando, Fla.
The Mariners opted not to take a player in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft, which would have forced the team to keep the draftee on their major league roster for all of 2026.
Instead, Seattle took right-handed pitcher Sean Hermann from the New York Yankees and infielder Carson Taylor from the Philadelphia Phillies in the minor league portion.
Hermann was selected in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Yankees out of high school. He was assigned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers following his selection.
Hermann is yet to play at a level above High-A. He missed all of 2024 with Tommy John surgery.
This past season with the Single-A Tampa Tarpons, Hermann posted a 3.17 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 59.2 innings pitched across 37 appearances. He had nine holds and three saves in as many opportunities. New York originally drafted him as a starting pitcher prospect before transitioning him to the bullpen.
Taylor was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of Virginia Tech. He was originally selected as a catcher. He missed most of this past season due to injury.
In his last full season in 2024 with the Double-A Reading Fightin' Phils and Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Taylor scored 57 runs in 115 games, and he hit 16 doubles, three triples and 16 home runs with 77 RBIs. He slashed .279/.396/.458 with an .854 OPS. He began this past season as a non-roster invite to major league camp by the Phillies.
Taylor was assigned to the Rainiers following his selection by the M's.
The Mariners also lost a pitcher to the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft.
The Milwaukee Brewers selected right-handed pitcher and former second-round pick Cole Phillips.
Phillips was originally acquired by Seattle in a trade with the Atlanta Braves on Dec. 3, 2023 that sent outfielder Jarred Kelenic, starting pitcher Marco Gonzales and Evan White to Atlanta. Phillips didn't throw a pitch in a professional game for the Mariners due to injuries.
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