Mariners’ top prospect Colt Emerson makes major league debut, place Brendan Donovan on IL

SEATTLE (AP) - It wasn't until Colt Emerson started making the quick drive north to Seattle that he set aside time to give his mom and dad a call.

The Mariners' top prospect was quick to acknowledge after Seattle's 8-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday that he wouldn't have been promoted from Triple-A Tacoma without his parents' support.

"You dream about telling your parents that you've made it to the bigs, and it finally came," Emerson said. "It came on my way up to Seattle in the car. I wouldn't want it any other way. Special day for me. I'll remember this forever, and very grateful for this day."

To clear room for Emerson, All-Star utilityman Brendan Donovan was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left groin muscle strain.

Emerson, 20, was originally announced in Tacoma's lineup for the Rainiers' home game against Sugar Land, but was scratched shortly before first pitch. Instead, he became the youngest Mariners player to make his major league debut since Félix Hernández did so at 19 years old on Aug. 4, 2005. Emerson, who played third base, went 0 for 2 with a walk and a run scored out of the No. 9 hole.

General manager Justin Hollander said the Mariners electing to call up Emerson wasn't on his bingo card Sunday morning, nor was placing Donovan on the IL.

"I probably wouldn't have taken the kids tidepooling in Deception Pass (State Park) this morning," Hollander said with a chuckle. "But, we want to do the right thing for Colt. We also want to do the right thing for the Mariners. We think he's the best option."

Hollander confirmed that Emerson, who is viewed as the shortstop of the future in the Emerald City, will primarily see time at third base at the start of his major league career. He started five games at third base for the Rainiers this season.

J.P. Crawford, the longest-tenured player on Seattle's roster, remains the everyday shortstop. Crawford, who started the season on the injured list with a right shoulder injury, left Sunday's game with a contusion on his right triceps after being hit by a pitch.

Hollander said he, manager Dan Wilson and president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto convened Sunday morning and decided it was time to bring up the franchise's top minor leaguer. Emerson, meanwhile, joked that his nerves nearly got the best of him.

"I thought I was going to go out there and maybe not even be able to swing the bat," Emerson said. "But, once I got that first one out of the way, the first fly ball - honestly that was a tough fly ball - once I got that out of the way, I was like, 'OK, this is baseball. There's just an extra deck.'"

Emerson signed a $95 million, eight-year contract April 1 - the biggest commitment at the time for a minor leaguer yet to make his major league debut. The Mariners selected Emerson with the 22nd pick in the 2023 draft, and his stock only rose from there.

Emerson had a breakout year in 2025, when he hit .285 with an .842 OPS, 16 homers, 28 doubles and 78 RBIs across three levels and established himself as a big league-caliber defender. Emerson got off to a slow start this season as he dealt with a wrist injury, but Hollander said a cortisone shot has allowed him to bounce back at the plate recently.

"He looks loose, he looks comfortable, he looks confident up there," Hollander said. "He's starting to put together quality at-bat after quality at-bat."

Donovan missed Saturday's game as he continues to be plagued by a left groin injury. Donovan also missed time from April 18 to May 7 with a left groin muscle strain.

Hollander said Donovan reaggravated his left groin injury while trying to hit for the cycle in an 8-3 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday. Donovan will receive a platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection for his groin strain, as well as a different injection in his adductor, according to Hollander. There is no timeline yet for Donovan to return to play, but Hollander estimated it could be two to three weeks.

Donovan underwent sports hernia surgery in October 2025 shortly after his last season with the St. Louis Cardinals, which Hollander said the Mariners' sports performance team anticipated could make him more susceptible to groin strains and core muscle strains.

"Our own internal view was that there would be some days where he didn't feel good, at least for the first half of the season," Hollander said. "I think the most important thing that we can do is that we're putting him in position to go out there and feel good every day."