The Seattle Mariners saw their next wave of prospects to start to reach the majors this year.
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Second baseman Cole Young and catcher Harry Ford, who were top 100 prospects coming into the season, each made their MLB debuts. Third baseman Ben Williamson and right-handed pitcher Logan Evans, a pair of 2023 draft picks, also reached the big leagues for the first time.
That group made a solid impact on Seattle’s historic season.
Williamson took over as the starting third baseman early on and started 79 games at the hot corner before the M’s acquired Eugenio Suárez at the trade deadline. The rookie provided excellent defense with eight defensive runs saved (second on the team) while hitting .253.
Young flashed his potential at times while appearing in 77 games and had a pair of big moments with two walkoff at-bats.
Evans started 15 games, eight of which the Mariners won, while help the club navigate key injuries to the start rotation.
And Ford even had his own walkoff moment that moved the M’s into a tie for first place in the American League West despite getting only eight plate appearances after being called up in September.
The 2026 season figures to bring some more debuts from the Mariners’ highly regarded farm system, which has eight prospects in MLB Pipeline and Baseball America’s top 100 lists.
Here’s a look at some of the prospects who could make their debuts for the Mariners in 2026.
Colt Emerson
2025 stats: .285/.383/.458 (.841 OPS), 28 doubles, 16 home runs, 78 RBIs, 71 walks, 105 strikeouts, 14 stolen bases in 130 games across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A
Emerson appears to be on the cusp of reaching the big leagues after a standout year that saw him jump two levels in the minors. The 20-year-old shortstop was promoted to Double-A in early August and was in Triple-A just over a month later. He hit two home runs in his first three Triple-A games. Emerson is expected to make his debut next year and may have a shot to make the big league club out of spring training.
Lazaro Montes
MLB Pipeline ranking: 29
Baseball America ranking: 34
2025 stats: .241/.354/.504 (.858 OPS), 19 doubles, seven triples, 32 home runs, 89 RBIs, 83 walks, 169 strikeouts, seven stolen bases in 131 games across High-A and Double-A
Montes continued to showcase his tantalizing power while finishing tied for third among minor leaguers in home runs. He also showed there’s a still a lot of swing in miss in his game while finishing with the seventh-most strikeouts. Montes will need to show some improvement making contact, but he has the potential to be an impactful mid-to-late season call up.
Kade Anderson
MLB Pipeline ranking: 23
Baseball America ranking: 29
2025 college stats: 12-1 record, 3.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 119 IP, 180 strikeouts, 35 walks in 19 starts
Anderson hasn’t thrown a single pitch as a pro since the Mariners elected to shut him down after taking him No. 3 overall in the 2025 draft. But there are recent examples that suggest the left-hander could make an impact on the MLB roster in 2026. Five pitchers who were picked in the first rounds of the 2023 and 2024 drafts have gone on to make their MLB debuts by the next season, which includes both pitchers who were a top-three picks like Anderson.
Michael Arroyo
MLB Pipeline ranking: 63
Baseball America ranking: 57
2025 stats: .262/.401/.433 (.834 OPS), 24 doubles, 17 home runs, 54 RBIs, 69 walks, 104 strikeouts, 12 stolen bases in 121 games across High-A and Double-A
Arroyo built on his breakout 2024 season with another strong year in 2025 to establish himself as a top 100 prospect. Over the past two years, he has 98 extra-base hits. The 20-year-old second baseman is a candidate for a mid-to-late season debut, but will have plenty of competition with Emerson and Young also in the middle infield mix.
Jurrangelo Cijntje
MLB Pipeline ranking: 90
Baseball America ranking: 89
2025 stats: 5-7 record, 3.99 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 108 1/3 IP, 120 strikeouts, 51 walks in 26 games (23 starts) across High-A and Double-A
The switch-pitching Cijntje is one of the Mariners’ most intriguing prospects. He’s also a bit of a project, which could keep him in the minors for at least another full season. But it wouldn’t be surprising to see the 22 year old in a relief role late in 2026 if the M’s are making another playoff push.
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