On Thursday, Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reported that the Seattle Mariners are comfortable with giving top prospect Colt Emerson a chance to win an Opening Day job in 2026.

Our take on the Emerson situation is included in the story below:

Here are Positives and Negatives of Colt Emerson Possibly Beginning Season w/ Seattle Mariners According to a new report, the Mariners are determined to give Emerson a chance to win an opening day job in spring training.

However, beyond just the impact on Emerson, there is a potential major impact on Cole Young, who was a Top-100 prospect himself before making his major league debut on May 31.

Per Jude:

Short term, the Mariners are open to the idea of Emerson starting 2026 as their third baseman, potentially succeeding veteran free-agent Eugenio Suárez and supplanting 25-year-old defensive wizard Ben Williamson.

Emerson could also be in the mix at second base, along with 22-year-old Cole Young and the switch-hitting Leo Rivas (and any other expected roster additions this winter).

Though Emerson is ultimately the team's shortstop of the future, if there's a chance that Emerson could win the second base job, then what does that mean for Young? Let's examine.

About Young

A 22-year-old Pittsburgh native, Young was a first-round draft pick of the Mariners in 2022. Jude's reporting says the Mariners are very high on his future, but there are certainly questions after he posted a .211 batting average and four home runs in 77 games. He barely played in the month of September and was left off the playoff roster entirely.

If Young is going to beat out at second base, which is no guarantee, then here's where things stand:

Option 1: Young goes back to Triple-A

This seems extremely sub-optimal, but it's certainly possible. Young played 54 games at Triple-A before getting called up in 2025, so could the M's give him some more seasoning there before he re-appears in 2026?

Young could be an easy answer if someone were to get injured at the big-league level, and if everything goes well for him, he could be the Opening Day second baseman in 2027, presuming Emerson is at shortstop by then. He will be just 23 by the time Opening Day 2027 rolls around.

Option 2: Young becomes a utility player

Let's play this out, just for fun. If Emerson is the team's second baseman, then Ben Williamson is probably at third.

In that case, the Mariners need a utility player. It could be Leo Rivas, who is a slick fielder and a switch-hitter, or it could be Ryan Bliss, who was the Opening Day second baseman in 2025 before getting injured, or it could be Young, who has pro experience at both second and short.

Option 3: Young learns third base

This seems like a non-existent chance. If the M's are OK with both Young and Emerson on the field, then Young would play second with Emerson at third.

Option 4: Could Young get traded?

If the Mariners are truly content with Emerson at second base, could they see reason to move Young? It would have to be for an impactful package, but anything is possible.

Related Mariners Stories

LATEST PODCAST IS OUT: Brady Farkas is back for the the latest episode of the Refuse to Lose podcast! He covers the Josh Naylor news from every angle including the message it sends to the clubhouse and fanbase. Also, what's next for Seattle? LISTEN HERE:

DON'T YA KNOW: Former Mariners infielder Robinson Cano played his final game in the United States on Saturday in an emotional sendoff. CLICK HERE: 

TIME TO MOVE ON: The Josh Naylor signing has officially turned the page on the M's offseason, at least to me. CLICK HERE: 

Join the Conversation

Remember to join our MARINERS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Mariners fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!