Fastball

Seattle Mariners Lose Top Prospect to Injured List in Unfortunate Development

Colt Emerson, who was drafted in the first-round by the Seattle Mariners in 2023, has hit the injured list with an oblique issue. He was off to a torrid start, hitting .318 for Single-A Modesto.

Brady Farkas

Colt Emerson, of John Glenn, takes a swing during a Division II sectional final against host Morgan
Colt Emerson, of John Glenn, takes a swing during a Division II sectional final against host Morgan / Sam Blackburn/Times Recorder/2022
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The Seattle Mariners, who just engineered a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds at the Major League level, got some bad news at the minor league level on Wednesday as top prospect Colt Emerson hit the injured list.

Per Chris Correa on social media:

Seattle Mariners 2023 first round pick and #3 ranked prospect Colt Emerson is hitting the IL with an oblique injury.

Emerson is only 18-years-old and MLB.com lists his potential MLB ETA as 2026, so this doesn't really impact the Mariners this year, but it's still disappointing from a development standpoint. Oblique injuries are tricky, ranging from a few weeks to a few months recovery, so we'll have to wait for further announcements.

Emerson was out to a torrid start this year, hitting .318 for High-A Modesto. He pairs with fellow top prospect Cole Young to make an exciting group of position player prospects for Seattle.

In five games, he already has two home runs and five RBI this season.

The following comes from a portion of his MLB.com prospect profile:

The athleticism Emerson has as a former all-state wide receiver shows up on the baseball field consistently. He has a smooth left-handed swing geared for hard contact and his advanced approach was on display as he walked nearly as often (17 times) as he struck out (20) during his pro debut. Thought to be a definitive hit-over-power guy, his pop showed up much more than anyone anticipated, and his bat speed plus strength should continue to translate to in-game power.

Emerson has excellent instincts and is a steady defender at shortstop even though he’s an average runner. He has enough arm for the left side of the infield and played a good third for Team USA, while he also got some reps at second during his pro debut. Wherever he settles in, he has the chance to be an everyday big league performer and gives the Mariners an opportunity to boast a trifecta of high school draftee standouts, following Harry Ford and Cole Young.

The Mariners open up a series with the Colorado Rockies on Friday night.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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