The reigning AL West champs also boast one of the best farm systems in the game. They brought in Josh Naylor to shore up their lineup and extended him this offseason. They were the beneficiaries of some surprising draft day decisions, selecting Kade Anderson third overall when he wasn't projected to still be on the board first. They add him to a bevy of high upside hitters like Colt Emerson, Michael Arroyo, and Lazaro Montes, among others. Not to mention Ryan Sloan who looks the part of one of the best pitching prospects in the game. Seattle has a lineup ready to win at the big league level with high end players to add to the fold within the next couple of years. Will it create a log jam? Maybe. But that's a good problem to have.
About Our Top 20 Lists
Prospects Live, led by its evaluating team & Director of Scouting Rhys White, is proud to begin rolling out its annual offseason system reports. The team combines industry feedback, our live looks, film, and available data to compile each org. We believe this effort has enabled us to present you, the reader, with our best possible view of the prospects in the organization.
We have constructed this list using the Overall Future Potential (OFP) scale. There is no perfect equation for ranking prospects or assigning value to them, but we believe this method is the best possible approach. Every prospect on this list has been graded based on the tried and true 20-80 scouting scale. An 80 is the highest tool and OFP grade on the scale, reserved for MVP-caliber players or tools. Conversely, a 20 is reserved for non-prospects (NPs). A 50 OFP falls in the middle, indicating our evaluators deem this player a future average major league player. Below the 50 OFP tier are the 45s and 40s, comprising a large majority of players on each list. These are specific-role players, such as platoon hitters, utility players, or low-leverage relievers. Above the 50 OFP tier are the 55s and 60s. A 55 represents a future above-average player, and a 60 OFP designation is reserved for future All-Star caliber players.
In addition to the tool grades and OFP, we will also include a 'Risk' associated with each prospect. We use this to better communicate to you, the reader, whether a grade is more aggressive or conservative in nature. The evaluation team has worked hard to apply both the grades and risk components to better illustrate how each individual prospect stacks up in their respective system and in the baseball ecosystem.
Hailing from Zanesville, Ohio and the first first round draft pick out of high school in the state since Chad Billingsley in 2003, Colt Emerson was drafted 22nd overall in the 2023 MLB draft and is the consensus top prospect in the Seattle Mariners system. Emerson spent most of his 3rd season in the org in High-A Everett, being promoted to AA Arkansas in early August, just two weeks after his 20th birthday, until their season wrapped up and he was promoted to AAA Tacoma where he raked in limited time, slashing .364/.444/.727 with 2HRs and 9RBIs. If there was one word to describe the Mariners top prospect, it's smooth; from his hitting to his fielding, Emerson makes every facet of the game look easy with his effortless performance on the diamond. Swinging from the left side of the plate, Emerson has a quiet load with a toe tap and an effortless fluid swing, consistently making hard contact to all fields, going backside around 41% of the time, up the middle around 21% of the time and pull side around 38% of the time. Along with his ability to spray the ball to all fields, his plus hit tool is carried by his incredible bat to ball skills as well as an advanced knowledge of the strike zone, posting a 92.3 z-contact% in AAA. Along with his hit tool, Emerson saw a huge power surge this past season going from 4 to 16 homers following a mechanical change that he made, going from a leg kick to a toe tap which allowed him to stay back on the ball and elevate it more effectively. Despite his plus hit tool, Emerson does seem to have a K issue in his swing, which likely stems from his 36% chase rate in AAA. He has however, been able to cut down his K-rate in the past couple of seasons and with a hit tool as advanced as his I don't see why that trend won't continue. With regard to his defensive ability, Emerson is an everyday shortstop that is decisive and an instinctual defender at his position. He has an average arm which is serviceable for the position, but could spell some trouble if he is ever shifted to 3B for a long period of time. Overall however, he's a very reliable defender at a premium position and is capable of sticking there for a very long time. With his meteoric rise through the Mariners system this past season, the projected future All-Star will have the chance to compete for a spot in the opening day lineup during Spring Training, likely being slotted into 3B for the time being with JP Crawford slotting into SS for the Mariners. - Nate Jones
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
Director of Amateur Scouting, proud to lead and share the team's work. | Check out Path to the Show on Bally Sports Live and College Baseball Now everywhere! | Grateful for family, the Vols, and everyone who reads Prospects Live. | For His Glory.
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
