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Seattle Mariners

Colt Emerson, Mariners’ top prospect, lands long-term deal with Seattle

Colt Emerson walks back in the Mariner dugout after scoring in the sixth inning during a spring training game against Cleveland on Feb. 26, 2026, at the Peoria Sports Complex, in Peoria, Ariz. (Dean Rutz/Seattle Times)
By Ryan Divish Seattle Times

The Mariners are making an unprecedented investment in Colt Emerson to be part of their future before he’s even taken an at-bat at the MLB level.

MLB sources confirmed a report from Robert Murray of Fansided, that the Mariners have reached an agreement with their top prospect on an eight-year, $95 million contract.

Beyond the base salary, the contract includes a ninth-year club option, a full no-trade clause along with incentives and escalators that could push the total to $130 million.

There are still a few boxes to check before the deal is finalized, including an extensive physical. It could be made official by Wednesday morning. Still, it’s a stunning deal for a player without MLB experience.

When it becomes official, it will be the largest contract given to a player without any MLB service time, eclipsing the contract the eight-year, $82 million contract the Brewers gave Jackson Chourio at the winter meetings in 2023.

The only position players on the Mariners’ current roster with that sort of financial commitment from the organization are Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor. But the Mariners believe Emerson will be their shortstop of the future, eventually replacing J.P. Crawford, whose contract expires after this season.

Emerson will certainly be the highest-paid player on the roster for Triple-A Tacoma. After competing for an opening day roster spot, he started the season with the Rainiers and will remain with them for the time being. The Mariners won’t rush his development plan or his MLB readiness because of the contract. They want him to be ready to play extensively when he does make his MLB debut.

Crawford is on the injured list because of shoulder inflammation. He’s expected to start a rehab assignment on Tuesday night in Tacoma. The Mariners anticipate he will be activated from the IL on the upcoming road trip.

Emerson, who was selected with the No. 22 pick of the 2023 draft out of Zanesville, Ohio, started last season at High-A Everett. He earned a deserved promotion to Double-A Arkansas and finished of the season by serving as the starting shortstop for Triple-A Tacoma in the Pacific Coast League playoffs.

In 130 combined games at those three levels, he posted a .285/.383/.458 slash line with 28 doubles, six triples, 16 homers, 78 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, 71 walks and 105 strikeouts.

The Mariners weren’t the only team to make a big financial commitment to an unproven prospect early in the season.

On Monday, the Brewers locked up shortstop Cooper Pratt, their top prospect, to an eight-year, $50.75 million deal with the potential to make $81 million.

This isn’t the first time the Mariners have invested in a player before he had reached the big leagues. In November 2019, they gave Evan White a six-year, $24 million extension, despite never playing above the Double-A level.

White, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, won the Gold Glove at first base in 2020, but battled a myriad of injuries and inconsistency at the plate, never playing a full season after the COVID-shortened season.