Two years from now, the Seattle Mariners might just have one of the very best rotations in all of baseball. Yes, really. In addition to solid and near-ready Danny Hultzen and phenom Taijuan Walker, the Mariners also own James Paxton, a tall, athletic Canadian lefthander. Paxton rose to national attention at U Kentucky, and was selected in the 2009 Draft's supplemental round by the Toronto Blue Jays. He did not sign, however, and quickly became embroiled in a hubbub and eventual lawsuit when it was revealed that his 'family adviser' Scott Boras may have negotiated with the Blue Jays on his behalf, which is against NCAA rules. He thus became ineligible to play NCAA ball in 2010, and instead parked himself in independent ball to await the next draft, when he was selected by the Mariners much later, at #132nd overall.

His mid-nineties stuff and sick breaking ball didn't get much challenge in Grand Prairie, but at least it kept him in shape, and he didn't seem fazed when making seven starts at AA Jackson last year for Seattle: 3-0, 1.85, 1.05 and 51 strikeouts in 39 innings is enough to make Paxton a name worth circling, highlighting and sticking on the wall for mid-to-late 2012.