Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 55

The Illinois high school ranks produced a pair of first-round pitchers (Owen Murphy, Noah Schultz) in 2022 and another arm who got first-round money (Blake Wolters) in 2023. Sloan has a better combination of stuff and polish than any of them and should become a first-rounder in July. He dominated throughout the summer showcase circuit while getting swings-and-misses with three different pitches that could grade as plus once he's fully developed.

Gatorade's Illinois high school player of the year, Sloan shows the ability to manipulate a 93-96 mph fastball that tops out at 99, as he can ride and run it at the top of the zone, cut it in on left-handers or sink it for ground balls. He has a more advanced changeup than most prepsters, throwing hitters off balance with a mid-80s cambio that fades and sinks. His low-80s slider is nearly as good, featuring two-plane depth and some horizontal action as well.

Six-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Sloan has a strong lower half and is built to eat innings. A Wake Forest recruit, he uses his size to create extension and a flat approach angle to add deception. He repeats his delivery well and throws his entire arsenal for quality strikes.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55

Illinois has become a bit of a high school pitching hotbed of late with six prep arms going in the top two rounds from 2022-2024, and some others being taken later and handed over-slot bonuses. In 2022, the Mariners did that in signing fourth-rounder Ashton Izzi, then came back to the Land of Lincoln to nab Sloan for $3 million in 2024. While working with a closely monitored workload -- he only pitched five full innings three times in 21 starts -- he still showed the combination of stuff and polish that made him a Draft prospect in the first place. He would have won the California League ERA title had he stayed there and thrown enough innings, and he earned a promotion to High-A Everett for three starts before an eye procedure kept him from potential postseason outings.

All three of Sloan’s pitches were effective during his pro debut. He can reach the upper 90s with his fastball, sitting more in the 95-96 mph range, showing that he can feature ride up in the zone, cut in on lefties or even sink to get ground-ball outs. His two secondary offerings at least flash plus, with a hard-fading and sinking kick-changeup and a nasty slider with two-plane depth and horizontal action that's more of a sweeper than a gyro-type slider both missing a lot of bats last year.

Sloan gets high marks for his makeup and work ethic and has already shown the ability to repeat his delivery well to throw a ton of strikes. He gets down the mound well with excellent extension from his 6-foot-5 frame and a flat approach angle that makes him even harder to pick up. The gloves could come off more this season, with every chance that Sloan could vault to elite pitching prospect status.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55

Sloan’s combination of size, stuff and feel for pitching helped him dominate on the summer showcase circuit in 2023, and he was being mentioned in many first-round conversations as the 2024 Draft approached. The top-ranked eligible prep right-hander in the class ultimately didn’t join Owen Murphy and Noah Schultz, recent fellow Illinois high school arms who went in the opening round in 2022, but he did get first-round money when the Mariners popped him in the second and gave him $3 million to sign.

The Illinois Gatorade High School Player of the Year, Sloan will be making his pro debut in 2025 after not pitching in a game after signing. He already has an exciting pitch mix and an idea of how to use it. HIs fastball tops out at 99 mph and it sits 93-96 mph. He can play with its shape, riding it up at the top of the zone, cutting it in on lefties or sinking it for ground balls. His mid-80s changeup fades and sinks, and he has an advanced feel for it, while his low-80s slider is also at least above average with two-plane depth and horizontal action. 

While Sloan mostly threw bullpens after signing, he’s already made a good mark with his plus makeup, and he showed up for his first Spring Training in excellent shape. He already had a strong, workhorse-like build, using his size well for extension and a flat approach angle for deception. He can fill up the strike zone as well, and there are those who feel he could aggressively shoot up prospect lists during his first full season.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

The Illinois high school ranks produced a pair of first-round pitchers (Owen Murphy, Noah Schultz) in 2022 and another arm who got first-round money (Blake Wolters) in 2023. Sloan has a better combination of stuff and polish than any of them. After dominating throughout the summer showcase circuit while getting swings-and-misses with three different pitches that could grade as plus once fully developed, Sloan was popping up in first-round conversations, though he ultimately went in the second round to the Mariners but got an over-slot $3 million bonus, equivalent to end of the first round money.

Gatorade's Illinois High School Player of the Year, Sloan shows the ability to manipulate a 93-96 mph fastball that tops out at 99, as he can ride and run it at the top of the zone, cut it in on left-handers or sink it for ground balls. He has a more advanced changeup than most prepsters, throwing hitters off balance with a mid-80s cambio that fades and sinks. His low-80s slider is nearly as good, featuring two-plane depth and some horizontal action as well.

At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Sloan has a strong lower half and is built to eat innings. He uses his size to create extension and a flat approach angle to add deception. He repeats his delivery well and throws his entire arsenal for quality strikes.

Awards

Baseball America Low Class A All-Star

Year	Team
2025

CAL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	01/30/2026	Seattle Mariners invited non-roster RHP Ryan Sloan to spring training.
	09/22/2025	Everett AquaSox activated RHP Ryan Sloan from the 7-day injured list.
	09/08/2025	Everett AquaSox placed RHP Ryan Sloan on the 7-day injured list.
	08/10/2025	RHP Ryan Sloan assigned to Everett AquaSox from Modesto Nuts.
	08/10/2025	Everett AquaSox activated RHP Ryan Sloan.
	04/02/2025	RHP Ryan Sloan assigned to Modesto Nuts from ACL Mariners.
	03/06/2025	activated RHP Ryan Sloan.
	08/05/2024	RHP Ryan Sloan assigned to ACL Mariners.
	07/23/2024	Seattle Mariners signed RHP Ryan Sloan.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated RHP Ryan Sloan.
	09/13/2023	RHP Ryan Sloan assigned to High School Workout.
	08/09/2023	RHP Ryan Sloan assigned to High School Workout.