SEATTLE — This spring, many of the Seattle Mariners better big league players will be leaving from March 5-17 to compete in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Due to the absence of those players, which includes All-Stars Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh, many other players will have an opportunity to receive extended playing time in Cactus League games.

Two such players are Ben Williamson and Colt Emerson.

Barring an addition of an established third baseman, which appears less likely with recent comments made by team president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners' open spot at third will come down to either Emerson or Williamson.

Williamson was the team's primary starter at third base for much of last season but was optioned down to Triple-A when the team acquired Eugenio Suarez in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 30.

"When I got sent down, the first thing going through my head was 'I can't be mad,'" Williamson said at the team's FanFest event Saturday. "I'm going down here to work on stuff. And, honestly, I think that was a big mistake because part of me was really frustrated. ... I think the mindset (going down) was correct. I wanted to go down there and work on my stuff but I'd never really let myself feel that initial frustration. So when stuff started not going well in Triple-A, it kind of snowballed a little bit."

Williamson's fiancee, Sarah, helped him process the emotions he was feeling and help him get his mindset right going into the offseason.

"(I'm a) closed book sometimes," Williamson said. "During that period I was a very closed book. And it took her kind of egging me on a little bit to kind of open up and really explore that side of it. I was confused at first. I was so frustrated. I think once I figured that out, (it was) OK, I was frustrated from this but now I can move on from it instead of holding on to it."

Despite Williamson's frustrations, he had a solid ending to the year with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. He hit .261 and five home runs with 38 RBIs in the final two months of the year with Tacoma.

In addition to the increase in power in Triple-A, Williamson has his Gold Glove-caliber glove to fall back on.

Williamson balanced an up-and-down year at the plate in the big leagues (.253/.294/.310 slash line) with great defense at third. He had eight defensive runs saved, which ranked sixth in the major leagues.

"Just knowing that the glove is gonna help the team win and the bat is just a plus, that's the biggest thing for me, what I pride myself on," Williamson said. "Just being fundamentally sound and knowing that if a ground ball is hit to me, I'm gonna get an out."

Williamson, who entered his first full offseason as a big-leaguer, said he's focused on controlling what he can rather than being affected by the outside noise.

The team's top prospect had a similar mindset.

Emerson, who's ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, has received several votes of confidence from the front office over the last several years.

Dipoto said that Emerson factors into the team's 2026 plans and recent moves seems to indicate that.

The 20-year-old had an 11-game stint in Triple-A to end the season after beginning 2025 with the High-A Everett AquaSox. He received another vote of confidence when he was on the playoff taxi squad.

"(I saw) the way these guys compete," Emerson said Saturday. "I was fortunate enough to be at the first ALDS game against the Tigers. Just seeing the atmosphere of the field, just the way the guys competed and didn't give up was really awesome, really motivating and it's really cool to see."

The hype for Emerson expands beyond the current front office and fanbase. Former players who still work with the team have noticed his work, as well.

"(What stands out is) his aura, the maturity," Mike Cameron said Saturday. "When I look at him, he just seems like he understands that he's probably a big league baseball player. That's probably the confidence that you're supposed to have. Also, the awareness to understand that he has so much to do, so much work to do, to be a part of this big league baseball club this year. ... It's crazy (for a 20-year-old)."

Emerson isn't letting the hype get to him, however. Being a top-10 prospect in baseball, there's an expectation that comes with that and a level of hype that isn't present for other minor leaguers.

If Emerson has noticed  the hype, he doesn't seem to be letting it affect how he's preparing this offseason.

Instead, Emerson has been preparing as normal, training every middle infield position and third base, being ready if his number is called.

"I just want to make it apparent (and) I want them to see they can trust me at any position," Emerson said. "They know that I'm comfortable and I can play that position, wherever it might be."

Whether Emerson or Williamson (or both) start at third base in 2026, they'll do so with a vote of confidence from the front office. And, for a team with legitimate World Series aspirations, there might not be a better sign of the potential either has, at least in the eyes of the team's executives.

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