Colt Emerson Won't Stop Making the M's Sweat on Roster Day
The Seattle Mariners have a problem, and it's a good one. Colt Emerson just keeps mashing, and now the front office has to seriously consider whether this kid deserves a spot on Opening Day instead of starting his season down in Tacoma.
In Peoria on Sunday, the M's top prospect went off again. We're talking a solo home run onto the berm in right field off Padres starter German Marquez, a double down the right field line in the ninth inning, and a slick defensive play at shortstop that had manager Dan Wilson shaking his head. The Mariners lost the game 9-6, but Emerson's performance is the story everyone's talking about.
The Kid's Got Timing
Emerson's been heating up at exactly the right moment. After some quiet stretches, he crushes a three-run homer against the Dodgers last Friday and now this solo shot. The guy is clearly finding his swing. Then there's that moment in the ninth when he smartly challenged a 3-2 pitch that was initially ruled a strike. The ump reversed the call, and Emerson jogged to first.
But the real highlight was his defense in the third inning. Running away from second base, Emerson backhanded Miguel Andujar's grounder deep in the hole at shortstop and rifled a perfect throw to Cole Young at second base while off balance. "Running away from second base, backhanding it and throwing it off balance on the run, the opposite direction, and making a perfect, strong throw to where Cole even thought about trying to turn that's a tough play. And he made it look real easy," Wilson said. That's the kind of play that keeps front offices up at night when they're trying to figure out their roster.
The Plan Was Always Tacoma, But...
The expectation is still that Emerson starts the season in the minors, almost assuredly Tacoma. J.P. Crawford's shoulder trouble could slow him to begin the season, so the M's are likely to go with Leo Rivas as a short-term solution. But Emerson is making it awfully hard to keep him down. Every day he steps on the field in spring training, he's pushing back against that plan.
Meanwhile, Back in Arizona
The split-squad game in Scottsdale went better for Seattle. The M's rallied from a 5-3 deficit to top the Rockies 10-6 with Mike Cameron managing the team. Ryan Bliss and Carson Taylor each drove in a pair, while Colin Davis launched a two-run homer in the ninth to cap it off.
Luis Castillo threw four innings in Peoria, scattering five hits and giving up two runs with one strikeout on 69 pitches. He gave up back-to-back homers to Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts in the second but stayed mostly clean otherwise. "Most importantly it's my routine and making sure my body stays healthy, so that as I continue to throw more pitches throughout spring that I'm able to keep up with that and take it into the regular season," Castillo said via interpreter Kate Leahy.
Next up: The M's face the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday at the Peoria Sports Complex with Emerson Hancock on the mound. Game time is 1:10 p.m. PT and streams on Mariners.TV and 710-AM.
🐦 What fans are saying on X
See the latest reactions and highlights from Seattle fans about Colt Emerson.
View X conversation →🔮 Trade Seattle Sports on Kalshi
Did you know you can trade on Seattle sports outcomes on Kalshi, the only federally regulated prediction market in the US? Kalshi is available in Washington state. Bet on Seahawks games, Mariners season outcomes, Kraken playoff runs, and more. No sportsbook account needed.
💰 Limited offer: Get a FREE $10 when you sign up!
👉 Sign up at Kalshi.com and use promo code SEATTLEONTAP to claim your free $10.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.