Draft Dope: Mariners

June 6, 2007

Draft History (Click the year to view the picks)
Year	Top Pick
1992	Ron Villone
1993	Alex Rodriguez
1994	Jason Varitek
1995	Jose Cruz Jr.
1996	Gil Meche
1997	Ryan Anderson
1998	Matt Thornton
1999	Ryan Christianson
2000	Sam Hays
2001	Michael Garciaparra
2002	*John Mayberry Jr.
2003	Adam Jones
2004	Matt Tuiasosopo
2005	Jeff Clement
2006	Brandon Morrow
* did not sign

Scouting Director: Bob Fontaine (first year: 2004)
Order in 2007 Rotation: 11th
Extra Picks: Supplemental first round (52nd, for loss of Type B free agent Gil Meche to Royals)
Lost Picks: None
Trend: Under general manager Bill Bavasi, the Mariners like to promote players aggressively, and that's been especially true the last two years. They drafted West Coast college players (Jeff Clement, Brandon Morrow) with their top picks and pushed both aggressively, with Morrow already in the majors and Clement in Triple-A. The Mariners also aren't afraid to buck consensus for the likes of Adam Jones (hitter instead of pitcher) and Matt Tuiasosopo.
This Year's Outlook: The Mariners have such a productive international department, providing young players at the system's lower levels, that they can afford to go college-heavy in the draft. They were expected to go that direction again this year--polished college player, probably a hitter--at the top.