Mariners Take College's Best Hitter with 2nd Overall Pick

Having seen too many 1-2-3 innings, the Mariners brass have spent their valuable #2-overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft on Dustin Ackley, regarded as the best hitter in the draft.

"This was a guy we thought could be (in the majors) in a short period of time," M's GM Jack Zduriencik told MLB Network after making the pick.

An All-American all three seasons at the University of North Carolina, Ackley hit .412 with a .776 slugging percentage for the Tar Heels this season.

Ackley plays 1B for the Tar Heels, but don't be fooled--he's not some plodder. He's actually one of the fastest position players in the draft, and will play outfield for the M's. He's in the infield this year while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

If you want to scout Ackley for yourself, his Tar Heels play ASU in the first round of the College World Series on ESPN Sunday morning.

Ackley was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Here's his Facebook (maybe--unless someone would fake a Dustin Ackley Facebook).

Ackley's dad John was the 79th overall pick in the 1979 draft; he pitched seven seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization, getting as high as AAA.

(Bloodlines are so important, which is why we were hoping the M's would take 15-year-old Trey Griffey.)

The M's aren't done yet--they have three picks among the top 51 in the draft, you can follow it live here.