The Seattle Mariners are now on a run of taking SEC players with their first pick in the MLB Draft.
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Seattle tapped in to the powerhouse conference in the first round for the third straight year Saturday when it took left-handed-hitting Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese with the 24th overall pick.
Reese, a first-team All-SEC selection the past two seasons, spoke with reporters soon after being picked. Here are three things we learned about the 21-year-old third baseman.
Staying at 3B a priority
Reese is best known for his slugging abilities. He was tied for 10th in the country with 25 homers and had a .721 slugging percentage this past season. Both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline rate his power tool as 60-grade.
But there are questions about his defensive capabilities at the hot corner, as both publications noted he could be in line for an eventual move to first base or left field.
Reese was a shortstop in high school and mostly played left field during his first college season at Houston before transferring to Mississippi State and making the transition to third base as a sophomore in 2025. With limited time at third, he’d like the chance to stick at the position long term.
“I just haven’t had that much experience there,” Reese said. “It’s a newer position for me these last couple of years and (I was) battling through some injuries. So, I’m just ready to go get after it with a full healthy slate.”
He grew up a Rangers fan
Sometimes players get drafted by a rival of their childhood team, which is exactly what just happened for Reese, a Texas Rangers fan growing up. His hometown of Canton, Texas, is roughly an hour drive from the Dallas-Forth Worth area.
He also has a bit of connection to the Astros from his one year at the University of Houston.
“I was definitely a Rangers fan growing up, but then they moved the stadium and that’s kind of – I kind of like the old stadium,” Reese said. “So, then I went to University of Houston my freshman year and I went to like 10 Astros games, so I kind of love it there. But now I’m a Mariners fan forever.”
Reese said he modeled his game after Rangers shortstop Corey Seager. As a third baseman in the Mariners’ organization now, perhaps he’ll start watching some Kyle Seager tape.
‘A good learning curve’
Reese played under three different coaching staffs over his three college seasons, which included staying at Mississippi State for the ’26 campaign following the hiring of new head coach Brian O’Connor.
Under a new staff this year, Reese ran into some difficulties with a new hitting philosophy, but he eventually tapped back in to his previous routines and approach and closed the season on a strong stretch with 10 homers in his final 14 games.
“I think the biggest thing is, you know, it’s you in the box at the end of the day. That’s kind of what I learned,” Reese said. “So, I mean, it’s nice to take those nuggets from coaches that you learn, but at the end of the day, it’s you in the box and you’re the one that has to go do it. So, having three different coaching staffs my three years in college, it was a good learning curve for me to go through struggles and find what works for me.”
ACE FREAKING REESE ♠️ https://t.co/zQnvoXs2KZ pic.twitter.com/9r7E24HmoF
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) June 7, 2026
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