3 prospects on the rise in their first Spring Training

This story was excerpted from Daniel Kramer¡¯s Mariners Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

PEORIA, Ariz. -- MLB Pipeline won¡¯t unveil its farm system rankings for the upcoming season until later this spring, but the Mariners will almost certainly rise from their current spot at No. 9, thanks to a wave of promising hitters, many of who are in their first big league camp.

A hint to such is that no team had more players within MLB Pipeline¡¯s Top 100 than Seattle, which had seven.

Infielders Cole Young and Ben Williamson are the names that the front office has publicly mentioned as closest among position players and could potentially break through in 2025. But a larger swath of athletic hitters has the organization eager for what could be ahead at this time next year.

Here¡¯s a look at three prospects that are in their first camp and on the rise.

INF Colt Emerson
MLB Pipeline rank: SEA No. 1, No. 20 overall

What he does well: Despite missing six weeks with a fractured left foot sustained via a foul ball, Emerson made the biggest jump of any Minor Leaguer among Pipeline¡¯s Top 100, jumping 67 spots from last season. With elite bat-to-ball skills, the lefty-swinging first-round Draft pick from 2023 has been touted as one of the best pure hitters in the Minors. Between Single-A Modesto and Double-A Arkansas, he had a .763 OPS and 17.3% strikeout rate.

What he¡¯s working on: The big thing is reps against higher quality pitching. It¡¯s likely that he¡¯ll begin the year at Double-A Arkansas, which would represent a promotion from where he finished last season. Adjusting to Dickey-Stephens Park -- widely considered one of the least hitter-friendly environments in the Minors -- is regularly a test that the Mariners watch closely among their hitting prospects.

What he said: ¡°You think about getting drafted, getting to The Show, but I mean, it all starts with Spring Training. So getting that call saying, ¡®Yo, you're going to be in the big league clubhouse and you're going to be with the bigger guys,¡¯ I¡¯m just so happy to get this opportunity.¡±

OF Lazaro Montes
MLB Pipeline rank: SEA No. 2, No. 42 overall

What he does well: The pure power will always be his calling card, and he put it on epic display with a massive homer on Monday vs. the Brewers. Montes mashed 21 homers with 105 RBIs last season between Single-A Modesto and High-A Everett, with 21 doubles and two triples, good for a slash line of .288/.397/.484 (.881 OPS). Listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, the 20-year-old is also still growing into his body. Intangibly, Montes¡¯ big personality could make him a fan favorite in Seattle, if he isn¡¯t already.

What he¡¯s working on: Strikeouts crept back into his game after being promoted, as he posted a 29.6% K rate with the AquaSox, and scouts have questioned whether his sheer size will transfer to being able to capably play the outfield at the highest level.

What he said (via interpreter): ¡°Some people can say they hear [criticism], and they could just put it off to the side and say, ¡®Oh, they're just talking bad about me,¡¯ and not doing anything about them. I actually listen to them, and I like to get in that mentality of, ¡®OK, they're saying this about me. I'm not going to let them say that about me. I'm going to work on it.¡¯ So when I hear some of those comments, it's a little motivation for me to continue working.¡±

INF Michael Arroyo
MLB Pipeline rank: SEA No. 7, No. 98 overall

What he does well: Arroyo has been labeled by some in the organization as the right-handed comp to Young, whose left-handed swing has put him on the cusp of The Show. Physically compact, Arroyo has shown elite contact with every promotion, and he even tapped into more power last season, with 23 homers and 101 RBIs while slugging .509 between Modesto and Everett.

What he¡¯s working on: He has a sound approach, but it¡¯s when he gets out of it and focuses more exclusively on pulling that ball that he gets into trouble. More swing-and-miss surfaced when he moved up to Everett, too. Harnessing his infield reps has been a pointed measure this spring as well.

What he said (via interpreter): ¡°It¡¯s been really good, getting as much experience from these guys. I mean, even being able to say that [infield coach] Perry Hill is some like defensive God out there. So being around him and just trying to get as much knowledge I can from that guy is great.¡±