5 Colt Emerson highlights to get Mariners fans hyped for his 2026 debut

It might look from afar like the Seattle Mariners have a hole at third base, but those in the know understand that it's more like an opportunity. And if Ben Williamson doesn't take it in spring training, it might only be because Colt Emerson beat him to it.

The Mariners haven't been keeping their excitement for Emerson under wraps. He was on their playoff taxi squad in October. And throughout the offseason, there's been a drip-drip-drip of stories indicating that the team is serious about giving him a shot at their starting third base gig in the spring.

The hype is justified. Though Emerson, a natural shortstop, is still only 20 years old and just two years removed from being drafted by the Mariners at No. 22 overall, he's now ranked by MLB Pipeline as the club's No. 1 prospect and the No. 9 talent for the entire league.

As for what Mariners fans can expect to see from Emerson when he makes his major league debut, let's get deeper into that by looking at five highlights that show what he's all about.

5 Colt Emerson highlights to get Mariners fans hyped for his 2026 debut

Just so everyone's on the same page, here's how MLB Pipeline grades Emerson's tools on the 20-to-80 scouting scale:

• Hit: 65
• Power: 50
• Run: 50
• Arm: 55
• Field: 50

A "50" is an average score, so these grades suggest that Emerson has a very good hit tool with an above-average arm and average skills otherwise. It's an exciting profile on its own, and it's possible that it underrates how good he is heading into 2026.

As noted by MLB.com's Daniel Kramer, Emerson is seen by some as the best pure hitter in the minor leagues. The left-handed swinger mostly looked the part in 2025, batting .285/.383/.458 with a 129 wRC+ on a three-step journey from High-A Everett to Double-A Arkansas to Triple-A Tacoma. He struck out 105 times and drew 71 walks in 600 plate appearances.

If those are the results of an elite hit tool, here's a pretty good perspective on what one looks like:

What you see are four unique cases of a nice piece of hitting. For the first one, he went with the pitch and slashed it into left field. For the second, he jumped on a hanging breaking ball and pulled it into the right-center gap. For the third, he inside-outed a pitch over the plate into the left-center gap. And for the fourth, he got under a low-and-in breaking ball and golfed it out to right field.

There's a bit more at work in swings like those than "see ball, hit ball." This is a guy who sees the ball well, and who can make calculated decisions about how to approach each pitch.

What Emerson is ostensibly not is a slugging prospect, but he did make major strides with his over-the-fence power in 2025. He went from four homers in 70 games last year to 16 in 130 games this year, even showing off some opposite-field pop along the way:

Emerson didn't put a home run swing on that ball, and yet he hit it over the fence anyway. That hints at the growing strength within his 6-foot, 195-pound frame, as well as a feel for the barrel even in vaguely defensive swings like that one.

As for what his proper home run swing looks like, well, who doesn't like a dinger off a light standard?

That ball was smoked, and it matters that it was smoked off a left-hander. Emerson didn't have a higher slugging percentage against them relative to right-handers, but he did hit .295 against lefties compared to a .283 average against righties. That's another point for the hit tool.

Defensively speaking, MLB Pipeline's rating of Emerson's glovework is dated by now. His improvement in the field this season was hard to miss for scouts, with Baseball America writing that he made strides with his agility, footwork and fluidity.

All those things are readily apparent on this play he made to his right into the hole back in April:

The range stands out, and so do the quick transfer and the instincts on the throw. He knew he didn't have time to gather himself to unleash a max-velo throw, so he saved valuable microseconds by uncorking a quick, yet accurate throw to first instead.

And don't worry, he has range up the middle, too:

There's no eyewash here, as diving for that ball was the only way Emerson was going to get to it. And while he might have actually rushed his throw to first base, he at least did so accurately enough to give his first baseman a chance to make a scoop.

The hardest part of this exercise was picking only five highlights that show off Emerson's abilities. He seemed to do something special on a daily basis throughout 2025, and anyone who endeavors to seek additional highlights must be warned: that's a rabbit hole with no bottom.

Whether it's on Opening Day or not, Emerson being seen at T-Mobile Park in 2026 is a matter of when, not if. And when he finally arrives, Mariners fans will need to be ready to be wowed.