Colt Emerson was in noticeable discomfort after fouling a ball off his foot in a minor league game Saturday.
The Seattle Mariners made a bold move Tuesday by signing its top prospect to a historic deal.
The Mariners signed top prospect Colt Emerson (No. 7 MLB Pipeline top 100) to an eight-year, $95 million contract that will extend through 2033. The deal includes a club option for a ninth year in 2034.
Emerson's deal didn't coincide with a call-up, although it seems like a matter of time before the Ohio native debuts this season.
In the mean time, Emerson has been with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and has had a solid year down in the minor leagues.
Emerson has slashed .269/.296/.462 with a .758 OPS and has hit two doubles and a home run with three RBIs in seven games.
Emerson began this season coming off a solid spring training. The former 2023 first round pick slashed .268/.340/.488 with an .828 OPS and hit a double, a triple and two homers with eight RBIs in 18 Cactus League games.
Unfortunately, a season that's already and will likely continue to be an eventful one for Emerson hit a hiccup in a game against the El Paso Chihuahuas on Saturday.
During an at-bat, Emerson fouled a ball off the inside of his right foot. He finished his plate appearance but was later taken out of the game.
The game Emerson exited was the first of a doubleheader between the Rainiers and the Chihuahuas. He was absent from the lineup for game two, in which Brock Rodden was penciled in at shortstop and Will Wilson was listed as the third baseman.
The injury to the latest tacked on to recent ailments for Seattle. Major league third baseman Brendan Donovan is currently day-to-day with a leg/groin injury.
According to a post on "X" from Seattle Times reporter Ryan Divish, Emerson's x-rays on his foot came back negative and he's day-to-day.
Emerson's x-rays being negative bodes well and means that any problems for a call-up won't be forcibly delayed.
However, it wouldn't be a shock for the Mariners front office to continue their typical conservative approach when it comes to bringing up prospects, despite Emerson's new deal and recent injury scare. The team has followed that approach in the past with notable prospects such as second baseman Cole Young and third baseman Ben Williamson.
Other notes
-- Emerson's impending call-up will likely carve into the at-bats and playing time of a regular starter on Seattle's roster. See who could be impacted by the top prospect's arrival by reading the following analysis:
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