Colt Emerson Stats & Scouting Report

AB	57
AVG	.246
OBP	.368
SLG	.351
HR	0

Full name Colt Walker Emerson
Born 07/20/2005 in Zanesville, OH
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Glenn HS, New Concord, Ohio
Drafted in the 1st round (22nd overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2023 (signed for $3,800,000).

View Draft Report

School: Glenn HS, New Concord, Ohio Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: Auburn
Age At Draft: 18
BA Grade:55/Extreme
Tools:Hit: 55. Power: 50. Run: 50. Field: 50. Arm: 50.

Emerson pushed up draft boards during the fall after a strong summer showcase season. He excelled in Perfect Game’s Jupiter tournament and also was the third-best hitter on USA Baseball’s gold medal-winning 18U team, where he played third base, slashed .360/.515/.520 and walked more than he struck out. The 6-foot-1, 197-pound infielder is a pure hitter, with a smooth and compact lefthanded swing that stays in the zone a long time. Scouts rave about the repeatability and balance of his swing, as Emerson maintains a consistent posture throughout his operation, with a steady head and few unnecessary movements. His barrel manipulation is apparent, and he has a savvy ability to square up the baseball in different quadrants of the strike zone, with good timing vs. all pitch types. On top of his hand-eye coordination, Emerson’s understanding of the strike zone is also advanced. In a 214-pitch sample with Synergy, he missed at just a 16% rate and chased out of the zone at a 15% rate. While he’s much more of a hit-over-power profile currently, he did put on plenty of good weight in the offseason, and started hitting the ball harder and further in the spring. Emerson has turned in above-average run times, but is more of an average runner who has a chance to stick at shortstop with solid arm strength or slide over to either second or third base. He’s on the younger side of the class, will be 17 on draft day and is committed to Auburn.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 60/High.

Track Record: Emerson has long been on scouts’ radars as a prominent member of USA Baseball’s 18U National Team in 2022 and a top prospect for the 2023 draft. The Mariners drafted him 22nd overall out of an Ohio high school as one of the youngest in his class, and he has done nothing but hit since turning pro. After Emerson raked in his pro debut, the Mariners assigned him to Low-A Modesto in 2024. He slashed .263/.393/.376 with almost as many walks as strikeouts in his first full season, reaching High-A Everett in August. Emerson’s season was limited to 70 total games by a fractured foot he suffered in May. His time in the Arizona Fall League was also cut short by a hamstring injury.

Scouting Report: Emerson uses a well-balanced lefthanded swing with a plate approach mature beyond his years. His bat head stays in the zone a long time, and he is adept at spraying line drives to all parts of the field. He also hangs in versus lefthanders, though the contact quality isn’t there yet. In same-side matchups he prioritizes high contact and walks. Even versus righthanders, Emerson’s over-the-fence power has not quite shown up. His combination of line-drive intent and solid, if unspectacular, exit velocities has led to just six home runs in 449 career plate appearances. However, scouts are confident that he will eventually grow into average power, especially considering his age and present feel for the barrel. Perhaps Emerson’s best trait in the batter’s box is his plate discipline. He fights off borderline pitches and takes ones just off the plate. His on-base ability should be among the best at every stop. Emerson has average foot speed at present that may slow a half tick at maturity, but he is a threat on the bases due to his advanced baserunning instincts. He has swiped 23 bases in 25 career attempts, mostly owing to his excellent jumps. He also has a good feel for when to take the extra base on batted balls. Defensively, Emerson’s tools are fairly pedestrian. He currently splits time between shortstop and third base, but the consensus is that he will eventually move off shortstop in deference to more dynamic options. Though he doesn’t have the most range or the quickest first step, he has solid feet and mostly reliable hands that allow him to field the balls he does reach. He also has a solid-average arm, though it takes a runway to ramp up, and he generally needs more time to make plays than most shortstops. It also hinders him making plays in the hole ranging to his right. This overall lack of dynamism and slower internal clock are what lead evaluators to believe he will eventually move over to third base full time.

The Future: Emerson projects to be an impact bat with a plus hit tool and zone control, along with average power and an average glove at the hot corner. He plays like someone who is mature beyond his years, and he could reach the major leagues in a hurry as one of the younger debutants.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55.
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: Emerson hails from the small Ohio town of Cambridge--population: 10,014--but his talent has long made him known to evaluators. He played on USA Baseball’s 12U and 18U national teams and hit .360 to lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2022 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. He emerged as one of the top hitters in the 2023 draft class throughout his senior spring and was drafted 22nd overall by the Mariners. He signed for an over-slot $3.8 million to forgo an Auburn commitment. Emerson immediately made good on his pedigree with a sterling pro debut. He hit .374/.496/.550 in 24 games between the Arizona Complex League and Low-A Modesto, capped by going 4-for-6 with four RBIs in the clinching game of the California League championship series.

Scouting Report: Emerson is a polished offensive player with a sweet, lefthanded swing. He’s a disciplined hitter who knows the strike zone and makes hard contact off the barrel with a fast, simple stroke. He’s exceptionally consistent with his swing and approach and has few holes for pitchers to attack. He uses the whole field and projects to be a plus hitter. Emerson primarily hits ground balls and low line drives, but he hits the ball hard. He’s strong in his frame and has a chance to reach 15-20 home runs as he learns to elevate. Emerson has fringe-average speed and isn’t the rangiest shortstop, but he positions himself well with good instincts and makes the routine plays. He plays low to the ground, has reliable hands and makes every throw with above-average arm strength. He may move to third base as he gets bigger and slows down.

The Future: Emerson projects to be a solid everyday infielder who produces on both sides of the ball. He’ll begin 2024 back at Modesto.

Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55

Draft Prospects

School: Glenn HS, New Concord, Ohio Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: Auburn
Age At Draft: 18
BA Grade:55/Extreme
Tools:Hit: 55. Power: 50. Run: 50. Field: 50. Arm: 50.

Emerson pushed up draft boards during the fall after a strong summer showcase season. He excelled in Perfect Game’s Jupiter tournament and also was the third-best hitter on USA Baseball’s gold medal-winning 18U team, where he played third base, slashed .360/.515/.520 and walked more than he struck out. The 6-foot-1, 197-pound infielder is a pure hitter, with a smooth and compact lefthanded swing that stays in the zone a long time. Scouts rave about the repeatability and balance of his swing, as Emerson maintains a consistent posture throughout his operation, with a steady head and few unnecessary movements. His barrel manipulation is apparent, and he has a savvy ability to square up the baseball in different quadrants of the strike zone, with good timing vs. all pitch types. On top of his hand-eye coordination, Emerson’s understanding of the strike zone is also advanced. In a 214-pitch sample with Synergy, he missed at just a 16% rate and chased out of the zone at a 15% rate. While he’s much more of a hit-over-power profile currently, he did put on plenty of good weight in the offseason, and started hitting the ball harder and further in the spring. Emerson has turned in above-average run times, but is more of an average runner who has a chance to stick at shortstop with solid arm strength or slide over to either second or third base. He’s on the younger side of the class, will be 17 on draft day and is committed to Auburn.