Mariners’ prospect Colt Emerson has first two-homer game

Top Seattle Marines prospect Colt Emerson has started to show some of his power potential during his third season as a professional baseball player.

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Emerson, who turned 20 last month, has well surpassed his previous home run totals from previous campaigns this year. And he added a career first in the power department to his resume Thursday night, achieving his first career two-homer game while playing for the Double-A Arkansas Travelers.

The 2023 first-round pick pulled a two-run home run to right field in the top of the first inning on the second pitch of the game to give the Travelers an early lead. Emerson put his pull power on display again in the eighth, mashing a tiebreaking solo shot to lead off the inning for a 3-2 advantage. Emerson’s second home run came off former Mariners farmhand Darren Bowen, who was one of four players sent to Minnesota in the trade for Jorge Polanco.

The two-homer performance added to what’s been a solid first few weeks in the Texas League, which is known for being filled with pitcher-friendly ballparks.

In 20 games since being promoted Aug. 4, the left-handed-hitting shortstop is slashing .263/.333/.450 with a .783 OPS, four doubles, one triple, three home runs, 13 RBIs and two stolen bases. He’s second on the Travelers in hits (21), extra-base hits, RBIs and OPS in August.

It comes after Emerson closed his time with High-A Everett on a high note. He posted an OPS above .900 with the AquaSox in June and July, combining for 19 extra-base hits (including seven homers) and as many walks (29) as strikeouts during the stretch.

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Emerson’s 14 home runs across 110 games at all levels of the minors this year bested his previous career high of four set in 70 games last season.

A Zanesville, Ohio, native, Emerson is ranked as Seattle’s top prospect by MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, The Athletic’s Keith Law and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, among others. Law is the highest on Emerson, ranking his fourth among his top 60 prospects league-wide. McDaniel ranks Emerson seventh, MLB Pipeline 11th and Baseball America 13th.

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