Mariners reassign Colt Emerson, their top prospect, to minor-league camp
The Mariners regard Colt Emerson as a cornerstone fixture of their future, and the 20-year-old infielder did nothing to deter that promise throughout spring camp.
That future hasn’t arrived just yet, though.
Emerson, the Mariners’ No. 1 prospect, was formally reassigned to minor-league camp on Saturday afternoon, ending his bid to become one of the youngest position players in club history to make an opening day roster.
Emerson, instead, is expected to open the season at Triple-A Tacoma.
Veteran shortstop J.P. Crawford has been limited by an ailing shoulder, which had left open the possibility of Emerson beginning the season in Seattle as the starting shortstop.
The Mariners, though, appear poised to turn to veteran utility infielder Leo Rivas as a short-term option if Crawford ends up starting the season on the injured list.
Cole Young, penciled in as the Mariners’ starting second baseman, also has experience in the minor leagues at shortstop and could be a short-term fill-in there, too.
Emerson, a consensus top-10 MLB prospect, had a .268/.340/.488 slash line (.828 OPS) in 47 plate appearance this spring, with two homers, one double, one triple, eight RBIs, 10 strikeouts, five walks and one stolen base.
Gilbert, Raleigh reunite
The Mariners decided to schedule Logan Gilbert to make his final start of the spring in the B game Friday instead of facing the Guardians. His next start would be in six days against the very same Cleveland team. It’s a common practice to hide starters vs. teams that might see them in the first few weeks of the season.
If Gilbert was going to pitch, Cal Raleigh was going to catch him. The Mariners’ All-Star catcher has been away from the team for 21/2 weeks while playing in the World Baseball Classic. He wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to catch Gilbert in his final outing of the spring. It didn’t matter that the game would be at 11 a.m. due to the oppressive heat wave hitting the Phoenix area or that he had played the night before in Mesa, asking to be inserted into the lineup as the designated hitter to get some at-bats. He went 1-for-5 with a bases-loaded, 438-foot double.
Gilbert wasn’t expecting Raleigh to catch but wasn’t surprised when his former minor league roommate was in the lineup.
“I wasn’t expecting him necessarily to be here,” Gilbert said. “But he was, which is way better, so we can get a feel.”
It was typical Raleigh behavior.
“He loves to be prepared as much as anybody,” Gilbert said. “I think that’s the main thing. It resonates with me. That’s kind of who I am, and I love seeing him that way. That’s how he’s always been. Yeah, he hit 60 bombs last year and nothing changes who he is as a person.“
Manager Dan Wilson was happy the duo got to work together with opening day looming.
“I think it’s important, especially because he hasn’t been here in the camp and hasn’t had much of a chance to catch him yet,” Wilson said. “It was smart to get a chance to get them together today with this being the final tuneup, and just get on the same page and see what his stuff has been doing.”