Sloan’s Spring Fling: Ryan Sloan Soaks Up Knowledge Like a Sponge in Spring Training

Two of the most intriguing pitchers in the 2024 MLB Draft were selected by the Seattle Mariners. Switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje was taken with the 15th overall pick in the first round and prep prospect Ryan Sloan was drafted in the second round.

Cijntje’s unique ability as an ambidextrous hurler instantly made him one of the most interesting prospects in baseball. But Sloan could be considered the crown jewel of Seattle’s draft when all is said and done.

Sloan, only 18 years-old when he was drafted (19 now), already has a big-league frame at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds. His fastball was in the upper-90 mph range when he was selected and his slider and changeup both received plus-grades from Baseball America.

Sloan is in his first camp with the Mariners this year and has been focused on refining his approach and using his strong arm to command the strike zone better.

“For me, a lot of it has just been throwing strikes,” Sloan said. “It’s a big emphasis here. I added a cutter this offseason, which has been pretty good. Especially against lefties. Other than that, just refining stuff. … I think (the key has been) really just trusting it. Trusting that your stuff’s really good. And finding the zone. Even if you let up hits, it’s like, your stuff’s really good. Hitting is hard. So throwing it in the zone is always going to benefit the pitcher.”

Sloan has also received an experience he described as “eye-opening” by watching arguably the best major league starting rotation in the league practice.

“I think it’s been pretty awesome,” Sloan said. “I haven’t gotten to talk to anyone personally, maybe a couple. But being able to watch them — how they go about their (bullpens), how they go about warm-up, how they really go about their day in general, their routine is pretty eye-opening. Because they’ve all been through the same thing I’ve gone through, even if they’re college guys. Just to see the routines they build and things they have in place to make sure they’re ready to pitch the day they throw.”

Sloan is one of the younger players at camp and has gone right from high school to practicing in Peoria, Ariz. But he’s been working like everyone else and hasn’t felt like the young guy.

“I think it’s been pretty cool,” Sloan said. “I think being here, I don’t really feel like the younger guy. I think I’m mature enough where I can fit in with guys 22, 23, 24. But (I’m) just taking it all in, like I said earlier, and just trying to better myself every day.”

Sloan’s learning experience hasn’t been limited to the coaches or the big league pitchers. He was a part of a pitcher-heavy draft that had varying experiences even in the first three rounds. Cijntje threw in the Southeastern Conference for two years with Mississippi State and third-round pick Hunter Cranton threw for Kansas in the Big 12 and already has professional experience with the team’s Low-A Modesto Nuts.

“It’s been pretty sweet because everyone here is so knowledgeable,” Sloan said. “And everyone here is open to learn. I feel like when you get drafted to the Mariners, you kind of have to have the willingness to be able to want to get better and learn about pitching, and learn what you do really well and learn what you can do better. So with everyone having kind of that mindset, it’s easy to kind of pick their brains because they’re all going through the same thing thing as you are at the end of the day. Especially the guys that were drafted this year, we’re all going through the same thing as you so being able to bounce things off each other, and really just learn (has been great).”

The main focus in the minor leagues is development, and winning comes second. At least from a big-league picture. But Seattle’s organization has developed a winning culture across their farm system. Both Modesto and the Double-A Arkansas Travelers are coming off league championships. And the ability to improve while having a good chance to win is something that Sloan is looking forward to.

“Yeah, I think that’s important,” Sloan said. “I think that when a team is winning, it all kind of shows up better. I think when the team’s winning and there’s good vibes in the clubhouse, everyone’s being friendly. And I think that’s an important thing. I think people just grow more when there’s winning going on.”

Sloan is already considered one of the best prospects in the Mariners farm system. MLB Pipeline has him as the team’s eighth-best prospect and Baseball America has him as the team’s ninth-best.

If Sloan can transfer what he’s learned at camp to his first minor league season, he’ll be a quick riser in the minor leagues.