Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said on April 4 that top prospect Colt Emerson is considered day to day after fouling a ball off his right foot during the first game of a doubleheader at Triple-A Tacoma. Hollander confirmed via text message that X-rays taken after the incident were negative.
The situation raised concerns for both the Mariners and their fans, as Emerson is regarded as Seattle’s No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 overall. He recently signed an eight-year, $95 million contract extension, which is reported to be the largest ever for a player who has not yet debuted in Major League Baseball.
During Saturday’s game in Anaheim, Emerson fouled off an 0-1 changeup from pitcher Griffin Canning into his inner right foot and was replaced in the field during the next half-inning. Video replay showed him attempting to put weight on his injured foot while talking with Rainiers manager John Russell and an athletic trainer.
Emerson has been playing shortstop but is expected to play third base once he reaches the major leagues—a move anticipated within weeks rather than months despite his age of just 20 years old. The Mariners also faced another injury concern when current third baseman Brendan Donovan experienced issues during Friday’s win but reported positive results following pregame agility drills on Saturday, though he was kept out of Seattle’s starting lineup as a precaution.
So far this season at Triple-A Tacoma, Emerson has gone 7-for-25 with one home run, two doubles, three RBIs and holds a .280 batting average across six games.
