Mariners Prospect Update: MLB Pipeline drops new rankings after 2024 season

With the end of the 2024 MLB regular season, we will begin seeing all sorts of new things unveil over the next few weeks. Awards, accolades, and even some prospect updates are headed our way. In fact, MLB pipeline just dropped its latest Top-100 prospects list, which includes five Seattle Mariners players.

If anything, that can help M's fans cope knowing there's (hopefully) a brighter future ahead after they just narrowly missed the playoffs yet again.

Mariners Top-100 Prospect: No. 27 - Colt Emerson, SS

Emerson is the Mariners' new No. 1 prospect, landing as the 27th best overall minor leaguer in the sport. He was Seattle's first-round pick in 2023 and has shown tremendous upside in 2024. He began the year in Rookie Ball, played 40 games in Single-A, then was promoted to High-A before the season closed out, batting .263 overall with a .393 on-base percentage.

The lefty slugger hit four home runs in 70 games alongside 50 walks, 17 doubles and 15 stolen bases. Emerson ended the year on a great note, logging a hit in six of his final seven games, and going 12 for his final 33 in September.

Mariners Top-100 Prospect: No. 38 - Cole Young, 2B/SS

Another first-rounder, Young was taken 21st overall in 2022 and spent all of this season in Double-A. He logged 124 games with a .271/.369/.390 line, powering 25 doubles and nine home runs. He ended the year with four multi-hit games in the last five contests, going 9-for-18 with five RBI.

Young played in the MLB Futures Game this season, going 1-for-3 as the starting second baseman.

Mariners Top-100 Prospect: No. 47 - Lazaro Montes, OF

A strong corner outfielder, Montes spent time in Single-A and High-A this year. The 19-year-old was a machine, recording 105 RBI in 116 games. He smoked 21 home runs and 21 doubles while batting .288 with an .881 OPS. Montes picked up 13 three-hit performances this summer and one four-hit outing.

Mariners Top-100 Prospect: No. 49 - Harry Ford, C

Ford was Seattle's first-round choice in the 2021 draft (12th overall). In his age-21 season this summer, Ford batted .249 with a .377 OBP in 116 games in Double-A with 35 extra-base hits and 35 stolen bases. As a catcher, his 60-grade running tool is quite impressive, and although he wasn't as productive with his bat in 2024, his defense is making up for it. Ford's throwing tool is also a 60-grade.

He showed improvement in September at the dish, tallying a hit in 15 of the 17 games he played in, alongside a dozen walks. Ford also played in the Futures Game and logged a pinch-hit walk.

Mariners Top-100 Prospect: No. 66 - Felnin Celesten, SS

At 18 years old, Celesten, a Dominican Republic native, is already turning heads in the minors. He suited up for 32 games in Rookie Ball in 2024, registering 17 extra-base hits (three home runs) in 144 plate appearances. He recorded a .352/.431/.568 line and scored 30 runs with five stolen bases.

Celesten went hitless in six of the 32 games, but ended the the year with a bang. In one of his final contests of the season, he went 5-for-6 with a home run, a double and six RBI in a 13-7 victory.

The Mariners having five players in the Top 100 is impressive and should provide some excitement moving forward. There were a few guys who struggled in 2024, but seeing a handful of others rise in the rankings creates a positive path for the M's, whether it helps them immediately for 2025 or on the trade market this coming offseason.