PEORIA, Ariz. -- Colt Emerson might want to consider packing carry-on only at this point.
The Mariners’ No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 overall was in an endless apartment loop last year -- at Spring Training in Arizona, High-A Everett, Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma to finish the regular season, followed by an invitation to the Mariners’ postseason taxi squad.
It seems a certainty that his housing carousel in 2026 will include residence in Seattle.
“I'm just grateful to be here, honestly, and I’m going to do my best,” Emerson said on Monday. “And at the end of camp, if I get cut, if I don't get cut, I think I'm in a great position either way. But at the end of the day, I'm excited to compete and excited to show the staff that I want to win really bad and I will be a winning player -- in Double-A, Triple-A, whatever level I'm at.”
The “when” is what most commentary will naturally center on, but it’s the “what” and “how” that are more pertinent to his situation -- specifically, what position will he primarily play, and how will it look within the Mariners’ roster construction?
Emerson is working out at all three infield positions in Arizona, as he did on his own throughout the offseason. He’s naturally a shortstop and flashes the plus defense needed to stick at the premium position long term, as arguably the best defensive infielder within the Mariners’ No. 3-ranked farm system.
“I like to stay as consistent as possible with everything,” Emerson said. “But each position is different. Third base, I'm fielding more one-hand; shortstop, it's just more natural; and then second base, you get different steps. It's basically the flip side of shortstop.”
But shortstop won’t be in the cards in ‘26 unless the unforeseen occurs with veteran J.P. Crawford, who's entering the final season of a five-year, $51 million contract.
“When we drafted Colt, our expectation was that he would grow into a bigger body and eventually playing himself off of shortstop,” said Jerry Dipoto, Mariners president of baseball operations. “We don't think that's the case at all. He’s refined his body and became an even better shortstop.”
As cliché as it sounds, his defensive evolution has been two-fold -- physical and mental.
“You can't get bored with fundamentals if you want to be a great player,” Emerson said. “That's a quote from ‘Bone.’ That's an exact quote.”
“Bone” is longtime Mariners infield coach Perry Hill, 73, who worked extensively with Emerson during an infield camp well before pitchers and catchers reported. Hill said that Emerson has absorbed -- and implemented -- messaging of making “plays in the box,” which covers everything within 10 feet of where the fielder is positioned on contact.
“The box” isn’t a literal chalk square on the field, but rather, a mental and physical concept Hill uses to define the area close to the infielder where most routine plays occur. It’s the ground-ball range that’s expected to be converted into an out, usually a few steps to either side of a player’s starting position.
Hill preaches that, while flashy plays outside the box are nice, they happen far less often than the routine, and converting those outs -- every time -- is far more valuable.
“The confidence in making the routine play frees me up to make the spectacular -- it makes that fun,” Emerson said. “It makes that like, 'OK, I get the opportunity to make the diving catch,' or whatever. And it's such a split-second thing. But I think being ready for the routine play allows me to get the first step on a diving ball.”
Most scouting reports on Emerson have zeroed in on his bat, with Pipeline’s listing him as the “owner of the best hit tool in the Mariners system.” But it’s the glove that could help elevate him into what Dipoto calls “a sneaky five-tool guy.”
The Mariners’ plans with Emerson won’t come into clearer focus until Cactus League games begin on Friday, but he will get as long of a look as anyone among Seattle’s finite position battles.
As it stands, the top of the depth chart features Brendan Donovan at third base, Cole Young at second and Leo Rivas off the bench. Emerson, a non-roster invitee, is in the bucket that includes 40-man roster players Ryan Bliss and Miles Mastrobuoni and fellow NRI Patrick Wisdom.
“But things could change in the next seven weeks,” Dipoto said.