Mariners Position Battle for Second Base

With the 2026 season approaching, the question of the Opening Day starting lineup is arising. The main question is, who will be the starting second baseman, with a few options to choose from. The main focus of the position is on Cole Young and Colt Emerson, and who will play third when Brendan Donovan plays second base.

Cole Young

Young made his debut at second base on May 31 last season, hitting an 11th-inning walk-off RBI fielder’s choice against the Minnesota Twins. He appeared in 77 games, batting .211, and had four home runs with a .607 OPS to finish out the season. Young was a first-round draft pick in 2022 and was one of only two players drafted out of high school to debut. Jackson Holliday was the other one for comparison. He was also listed as high as 43 in the Major League Baseball Top 100 (MLB Pipeline).

Over the offseason, he has made it a priority to prove himself in this league. Towards the end of the season, he struggled at the plate, but throughout showed great defensive ability at second base. This spring, he knows what to expect going into the season.  With some MLB experience, he can improve his offensive ability and continue his great defense.

Colt Emerson

Emerson is one of the most anticipated rookies the league is ready to see. Drafted in the first round of the 2023 draft and only 19 years old. He is rated as the ninth overall prospect (MLB Pipeline) in the entire MiLB. Emerson started in Single-A at the beginning of last season while jumping up and finishing in Triple-A Tacoma. He has a great bat. Over his career in the minors, he played in 224 games, batting .287, and had 22 home runs with an .840 OPS. Emerson has made a big name for himself since getting drafted and has great upside potential. He has great power, contact, and is solid on the defensive side of the ball.

Brendan Donovan

Ever since the Mariners traded for Donovan this offseason, it has been projected that he will start at third base this season. He won a gold glove in 2022 as a utility player, so it is known that he is a great glove all around the field. His primary position the last couple of seasons has been at second base. It is presumed that he will still play second base at times. This does bring the question of who will play third in this scenario. With Ben Williamson gone in the Donovan trade, there is no other primary third baseman. Providing another opportunity for both young second basemen trying to solidify their roster roles. Along with returnee Leo Rivas, who has experience in the utility role.

How Will It Play Out

Both players are young, promising talents. It will be interesting to see how this year plays out at second base. Young is expected to get the first shot at second base. But how long will the Mariners wait to bring up Emerson? Seattle’s front office has discussed that Emerson has a good chance to debut this year. Along with Rivas being a solid option, what will that look like for both young players if they don’t work out? Both Young and Emerson have the chance to be great team impacts for the Mariners; the only question is how soon and in what capacity.