Former Virginia pitcher Danny Hultzen's time in the minor leagues could be short, according to one baseball analyst.

Baseball America released its annual list of the top 100 minor league prospects in baseball on Tuesday, with the left-handed Hultzen -- the second overall pick in last summer's draft by the Seattle Mariners -- checking in at No. 21.

"Hultzen is so polished that it won't surprise me at all if he's in Seattle by the end of the season," Baseball America executive editor Jim Callis said by email on Tuesday. "He has three quality pitches that he can locate with precision, and he showed at Virginia that he's a winner. I think he'll slot in right behind Felix Hernandez in the Mariners rotation in short order."

Hultzen is currently in his first big league spring training camp wth the Mariners, despite never throwing a pitch in the minors. He did make six starts in the Arizona Fall League last year, his only professional baseball experience.

According to Baseball America, Hultzen is the third-best prospect in the Mariners' organization, behind catcher/designated hitter Jesus Montero (No. 6 overall) and right-handed pitcher Taijuan Walker (No. 20).

Hultzen went 32-5 with a 2.08 ERA in his three-year career at Virginia, leaving as the program's all-time leader in wins and strikeouts (395). He won two ACC Pitcher of the Year awards, and was first-team All-ACC three times.

Hultzen signed a five-year major league deal worth up to $10.6 million (with a $6.35 million signing bonus and $8.5 million guaranteed) last August.