Colt Emerson Stats & Scouting Report

AB	150
AVG	.293
OBP	.44
SLG	.427
HR	2

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: 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.