Mariners Face Exciting Second Base Battle Between Top Prospects

Seattle has most of its roster figured out, but a competition between Cole Young and Colt Emerson looms.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The Seattle Mariners have a good problem on their hands as they head into spring training - a position battle at second base between two former first-round draft picks, Cole Young and Colt Emerson. Emerson is the higher-ranked prospect, but Young already has big league experience. The Mariners are high on both players and will give them a chance to compete for the starting job, with the winner likely to play a key role on a team with World Series aspirations.

Why it matters

The Mariners were just one win away from reaching the World Series in 2025 before falling short, and they're bringing back most of that same roster. Adding a talented young player like Emerson or Young to the mix could give the team an extra boost and help them get over the hump this season.

The details

Colt Emerson, the ninth-ranked prospect in baseball, will compete with Cole Young, a first-round pick in the 2022 Draft, for the Mariners' starting second base job. Young may have the early edge, but the Mariners are extremely high on the 20-year-old Emerson, who tore through three levels of the minors in 2025. The team is determined to assemble the best possible roster to make a World Series run, and Emerson will have a chance to prove he belongs with a strong spring training performance.

  • The Mariners' second base competition will be one of the key storylines of spring training in 2026.

The players

Colt Emerson

The ninth-ranked prospect in baseball, Emerson is a 20-year-old second baseman who impressed at multiple minor league levels in 2025 and will compete for the starting job in Seattle.

Cole Young

A first-round draft pick in 2022, Young already has big league experience and will battle Emerson for the Mariners' starting second base role.

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What they’re saying

“Emerson -- the ninth-ranked prospect in baseball -- will compete for the Mariners' second-base job alongside Cole Young, a first-round pick in the 2022 Draft, in what figures to be one of the spring's best position battles. Young may have the leg up, but Seattle is extremely high on the 20-year-old Emerson, a pure hitter who tore through three levels of the Minors in 2025. The Mariners have legitimate World Series aspirations, and they won't hesitate to assemble the roster that gives them the best chance to win. Emerson can prove that he's a part of that puzzle with a strong spring. He'll receive plenty of plate appearances in Cactus League play.”

— Jared Greenspan, MLB.com writer (MLB.com)

What’s next

The Mariners will closely monitor the second base competition between Emerson and Young throughout spring training, with the winner likely to be a key part of the team's lineup as they aim to reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

The takeaway

The Mariners' second base battle is a good problem to have, as they have two talented young players in Emerson and Young vying for the starting job. Whichever player emerges victorious will provide a boost to a Mariners team that is already in strong position to contend for a championship.