Mariners Top Prospect List: 5-1
My top prospects list comes to a close with the top five, in an order that may be surprising to many. Please let me know what your top 5 is and why in the comments!
5: Emerson Hancock (P)
This will come as a surprise to many, as most casual fans will look at Hancock’s pre-draft projections and draft position. He has simply proven at this point he is not the front-line arm the Mariners thought they were drafting.
Hancock has struggled with injuries and command throughout his minor league career. His 2021 was an injury-filled season that never allowed him to really get going., but 2022 was a step in the right direction in terms of availability. He still had many moments where he really struggled throughout the season.
The 23-year-old has a nice frame and good arm speed, especially with the use of his changeup. Hancock has a fastball, slider, and changeup that works really well already.
His fastball sits 92-94 mostly but can touch 96 miles per hour. His fastball is going to need more value if he is going to be anything more than a back-end starter. The pitch seems relatively ordinary at this point and needs to be commanded better if it doesn’t develop more life.
The changeup is a tough pitch to learn, and Hancock has a very good one. The pitch grades out as an excellent offspeed, especially with his arm speed.
Hancock also has a slider that is nothing more than average at this point. This pitch was one that was very highly regarded coming out of Georgia, and he needs it to come back if he wants to reach his ceiling. The right-hander needs a breaking ball that can miss bats, something he doesn’t do nearly enough of.
Overall, Emerson Hancock still has enough intrigue to keep him in my top five. The fastball/changeup needs the third offering to go with it, as well as some extra fastball value. His command is a big concern, as he got hit with a ton of damage in 2022. There are also plenty of questions about his makeup as a player, but if a third pitch is developed the former first-rounder can still be a nice rotation arm.
4: Cole Young (IF)
Young checks in at number four on the prospect list, just a few months after being selected in the first round. A shortstop out of Pennsylvania, the 19-year-old has an interesting profile for a high school bat.
High school bats always have risk, but Young profiles as a much safer bet than most. The reason for this is the hit tool, which is pretty advanced for his age. His compact left-handed swing and hand-eye coordination should lead to a pretty safe major leaguer.
He could look to drive the ball a little more often and gets a little bit more weak contact than you would like to see. It remains to be seen if Young can add much more to his frame.
He should stick at shortstop, certainly up the middle of the infield. He reminds me a lot of Adam Frazier, especially in the clip below.
3: Gabriel Gonzalez (OF)
Gonzalez is all upside, especially in the bat. Positional value wise he doesn’t fit in well with the rest of the top 10, but the bat should play better than any of them.
He is just 19 years old and has no real shot of being anything other than a corner outfielder. Listed at 5-10 and 185 pounds, the youngster likely would check in around 200 plus pounds. He isn’t going to wow anyone defensively or run well.
In his first year stateside at age 18, Gonzales absolutely raked. The way he gets leverage by using his lower half reminds me a lot of Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres.

I believe his bat is easily going to be the best in the system next season. There is a chance he can get to Double-A Arkansas, and could move extremely quickly. There is no reason to rush him, but the bat is going to play.
2: Bryce Miller
Bryce Miller is the highest-ranked prospect we could see in Seattle next season, assuming he is not dealt this offseason. The 24 year old right hander has an extremely impressive repertoire, anchored by a 70-grade fastball.
Miller sits between 94-98 with his fastball, which has gained 2 to 3 MPH since his days at Texas A&M. He threw just over 50 innings at Double A last season, and 133.2 in total. He averaged over a strikeout per inning, but will probably see Double A Arkansas to start next season.
He throws plenty of strikes with his fastball but it will be important that he gets a better handle on his secondary pitches next year. His best secondary is a nasty slider that gets a ton of swing and miss. Miller also has a cutter that he throws a little slower, as well as a curveball and changeup that could both use some work.
He needs a little more polish on a few of these pitches and a little better command. Overall Miller is electric and has massive upside as a starter, with some reliever risk involved. His ceiling and floor are both pretty high in my opinion, giving him the number two spot on my ranks.

1: Harry Ford (C)
Ford grabs the number one spot in my rankings, but I could have easily given it to Miller as well. Ultimately upside and positional value give Ford the top spot.
He is an uber-athletic catcher, a rarity for sure. If he does not end up sticking behind the plate Ford can easily slide out to second base or even the outfield, as he runs well above average right now.
The 20 year old is a freakish athlete and a monster in the weight room. He stands at 5-10 and 200 pounds, which some have suggested could prohibit him from staying behind the dish. He certainly has the instincts, athleticism, and arm to become a quality MLB catcher, or play anywhere else in the field.
His bat has been a nice surprise so far, slashing .276/.422/.878 with 14 home runs in his minor league career. Ford ended last season in the Cal League, showing nice discipline in the strike zone.
He is a prototypical “Control the Zone” player for Jerry Dipoto and this Mariners farm. I think he will develop into more power as he goes along, but has alleviated many of my questions as a hitter thus far. Ford looks like a really nice find by the Mariners, and next year will be a big one for him.
I agree with you 1-5. I think this is a big year for Hancock. He can push his way back up to a top 3 prospect in the system. Or could very well fall into the 7-10 range behind guys like Walter Ford and Montes and maybe a Clase or Arroyo depending on their seasons