Mariners fans hope Emerson Hancock finally has key to 2025 breakout

Emerson Hancock, the Seattle Mariners' first-round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, has faced some challenges early in his major league career.

Over 15 starts, he has recorded a 4.71 ERA and a 5.42 FIP, with his pitches often proving too hittable and resulting in low strikeout rates. These numbers are respectable for a back-end starter. But considering the 25-year-old's high draft status and the fact that he pitches in the most pitcher-friendly park in the game, the numbers are a little disappointing.

Though fans might judge Hancock too harshly relative to more successful homegrown pitchers like Bryan Woo, Bryce Miller, Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, the righty has accepted his current role as the next man up, as covered by Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times. All the same, the question hanging over Hancock is how he can become worthy of the club's excellent rotation.

Emerson Hancock showing off new sweeper during spring training could lead to a breakout 2025 season

As Divish writes, Hancock dedicated the offseason to examining his repertoire. This led to him introducing a sweeper — a slider variant with increased horizontal movement — to his repertoire. The sweeper aligns with his low arm slot and movement profile, potentially enhancing his effectiveness against right-handed hitters, who have thus far touched him up for a .837 OPS.

On a separate note, Hancock's fastball velocity has reached a career-high of 96.2 mph this spring, up from previous seasons where it averaged around 92-93 mph. This increased velocity, combined with his expanded pitch mix, could lead to a vastly different outcome for Hancock in the 2025 season.

A more effective Hancock could provide valuable pitching depth, bolstering a rotation that has been remarkably healthy but could benefit from reliable backups. His improved performance could also potentially make him an attractive trade asset come July, enabling the Mariners to flip him for some offensive help if necessary.

Though the Mariners rotation is one of the best in the league, you can never have too much pitching. Considering the team only used seven different starting pitchers (Jhonathan Diaz made one start), having viable sixth, seventh and eighth starters is paramount during the long season. Hopefully, will at least prove capable of handling one of those roles in 2025.