SEATTLE -- The first piece of Seattle’s long-term starting pitching core -- which Mariners manager Scott Servais said “is the best group of young pitching I’ve ever been exposed to” -- will graduate from the Minors on Thursday, the club confirmed Wednesday.

That would be right-hander Logan Gilbert, the Mariners’ No. 4 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 28 overall, who will start against Cleveland when Seattle opens a seven-game homestand. The club has not confirmed the plans.

• What to expect from Gilbert in MLB

For those not as familiar with Gilbert’s background and makeup, here is a primer:

Where is he from?

Winter Park, Fla., a suburb of the Orlando area. He attended mid-major Stetson University in nearby DeLand, Fla., which produced a pair of two-time Cy Young Award winners in Jacob deGrom and Corey Kluber. Gilbert holds the school’s second-best career ERA (2.38), was named to the College Baseball All-America First Team after his junior season and was Stetson’s first back-to-back Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year.

In the classroom, Gilbert graduated with a degree in business systems and analytics from the private school of about 3,000 students. He is the son of Keith and Noel Gilbert and has one brother, Tyler. Gilbert wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school, but he jumped at the chance to stay close to home and follow in the footsteps of other talented pitchers.

How did the Mariners acquire him?

With the No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 Draft. He was the first pitcher that the Mariners had selected in the first round since 2011, when they took Danny Hultzen at No. 2 overall. But Gilbert is the first of three straight first-round arms that general manager Jerry Dipoto has selected, followed by George Kirby in '19 and Emerson Hancock in '20.

Why are people so excited about him?

Because he’s the first in the wave of Seattle’s pitching-heavy pipeline that will define the club’s trajectory in the coming 5-10 years, perhaps even more than the dynamic outfield core of Jarred Kelenic (who will also make his MLB debut on Thursday), Julio Rodríguez (MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 overall prospect) and Kyle Lewis (the reigning American League Rookie of the Year). Gilbert has top-of-the-rotation potential with a deep arsenal that scouts all say will play well at the MLB level. And he’ll also be arguably the most talented starting pitcher who’s healthy on the big league team when he is recalled.

How will the Mariners use him?

The plan is to inject him into the six-man rotation, where he’ll be a much-needed reinforcement to a beleaguered Mariners staff that has Marco Gonzales, Nick Margevicius and Ljay Newsome on the 10-day injured list, and also lost James Paxton to season-ending surgery.

But it remains uncertain how the Mariners plan to monitor his innings in the Majors. It’s one thing to yank a starter when he’s reached a pitch count in a Minor League game, but with the competition level higher to go along with an urgency to win, it will be interesting to see how Seattle will dictate his pitch count, especially in his first few starts.

Who will he be facing?

A Cleveland club that is teetering on first place in the AL Central, though that standing has largely hinged on its pitching. The Indians entered Wednesday hitting just .209/.284/.384 for an 86 wRC+ (league average is 100), all of which rank among the lowest in the league.

What can we expect from him as a pitcher?

As MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo pointed out, Gilbert has become more physical as he’s advanced and has gone from someone who approached the mid-90s at Stetson to someone who easily sits mid-90s and touches 97 mph consistently with outstanding life. His secondary pitches have all improved mightily as well, with a slider and changeup, both above-average, to go with a curveball that is at least average. He throws them all for quality strikes. Gilbert struck out 11.2 per nine innings in college and 10.9 since going pro.

How does the timing of Gilbert’s debut affect his contract?

Because he did not debut on or before April 15, Gilbert will not accrue a full year of Major League service time in 2021. So even if he were to remain with the club for the rest of the regular season, the earliest he could reach free agency is not until after the 2027 season.

How can I watch?

Watch free on MLB.TV and/or MLB Network.