Colt

Emerson

Emerson ripped an impressive 108.7 mph single that brought home a pair of runs in the fifth inning. The 20-year-old top prospect boasts an above-average hit tool and made a serious jump in the power department last year, smashing 16 homers in 130 games across three levels to finish the year in Triple-A. It’s dangerous to feel certain about any prospect, but Emerson is one of the rare exceptions where his sustained fantasy relevance feels almost inevitable.

The pick is lined up to 68th or 69th overall. Donovan was connected to Seattle all winter, and the Mariners get him arguably without including any of their top five prospects. As things stand now, he’d seem to project as their third baseman and leadoff man. However, if top prospect Cole Emerson makes a run at the third base job in spring training, Donovan could play second or left. That versatility makes him an especially nice fit in a lineup with a few question marks. Donovan hit .287/.353/.422 and made the NL All-Star team last season. He’s never been a big fantasy infielder because of his lack of homers (career high of 14 in 2024) and steals (career high of five in 2023 and ’24), and moving to Seattle doesn’t figure to help him any. Randy Arozarena could also lose some fantasy value here; he ended last year in the leadoff spot but could drop as low as fifth in the lineup now. Cole Young’s status as the favorite to start at second base is also probably a little shakier, but he’s not a mixed-league guy anyway.

Emerson made a notable leap in the power department last season, slugging 16 homers across 130 games at three levels before finishing the year just a step from the majors at Triple-A Tacoma. The 20-year-old’s above-average hit tool and power/speed blend cements him as a top-20 dynasty prospect entering spring training, and he’s widely viewed as Seattle’s shortstop of the future with a big-league debut likely sooner rather than later.

Emerson will wrap up the year on the doorstep of the majors after batting .281/.380/.446 with 14 homers and 13 steals across 124 games between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas. The precocious 20-year-old shortstop blends an above-average hit tool with growing over-the-fence power potential, which makes it easy to envision him as an impact fantasy contributor once he reaches the majors.

The 19-year-old Emerson went 2-for-17 with a homer and a 3/4 K/BB in big-league camp. Seattle’s top prospect, he’ll probably open up this season back at high-A Everett and finish it in Double-A. Kitchen was the one guy here with a slim chance of making the Mariners, but he gave up seven runs in four innings.

Seattle is merely being cautious with one of their top prospects with only a handful of games left in the AFL campaign. The 19-year-old phenom got off to a sizzling-hot start in Arizona and finishes with a robust .370/.435/.537 triple-slash line with nine doubles, 10 RBI and eight stolen bases across 13 games. He’s a borderline top 15 prospect from a dynasty standpoint heading into next season.

Emerson also had five hits on Tuesday, so he’s off to a scorching hot start in the Arizona Fall League. He has ten batted balls in the AFL with an average exit velocity of 97 mph, topping out at 110.4 mph on Wednesday. He hits the ball on the ground or on a line often, which will cap his power upside, but the batted ball quality is elite.

That’s a decent way to open up your AFL season, particularly for a player that doesn’t turn 20 until next July. Emerson is considered the top prospect in the Seattle system, and the 2023 first-round pick has a chance to have a plus hit-tool along with solid power while playing the shortstop position. It’s unlikely Emerson will help in 2025, but he could be the everyday shortstop in 2026.

Emerson is one of the most promising fantasy prospects in Seattle’s loaded farm system, despite the fact he’s struggled quite a bit over the last month as a 19-year-old at the High-A level. He’s been limited to just 68 games overall this season due to injury, but remains one of the better prospects out there from a dynasty standpoint. There will be divergent opinions, but it’s not outlandish to think that he’s a top-25 prospect heading into 2025.

Emerson, who missed time with a broken foot, hit .294/.400/.427 in 40 games for low-A Modesto. He’s viewed as one of the game’s top infield prospects.