Seattle Mariners' Roster Candidate Making Huge Jump Thusfar in Spring Training
Seattle Mariners' prospect Emerson Hancock is reportedly touching 97 MPH this spring, a big jump from the low-90s he utilized in 2023.
Per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times:
Servais said the trackman data has Hancock at 97 mph on a few pitches
Hancock made his major league debut in 2023 and only made three appearances before season his season was cut short with a shoulder injury. When he pitched, he sat in the 91-92 MPH range so clearly this year has seen a major uptick in velocity.
Heading into the season, the Mariners would figure to have all five rotation spots filled (Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo), so Hancock seems destined for Triple-A. However, there is the outside shot that Hancock could jump Woo for the No. 5 spot, or start the year in the bullpen. The M's had opportunities to trade Hancock this winter and elected to hold onto him. Given this uptick in "stuff," that just may be a good decision.
Hancock ended the 2023 year as the No. 5 prospect in the M's organization, and figures to remain near the top when the new Top 30 list is released soon by MLB.com.
Here's a portion of his prospect profile from 2023:
While he might not possess true plus stuff the way Bryce Miller does, Hancock is a reliable strike thrower in the eyes of most Mariners scouts, and because of his pitch mix and profile, he probably has a more legitimate shot at remaining a starter, even if it’s a mid-to-back-rotation projection.
Seattle finished last season at 88-74 and missed the playoffs by 1.0 game in the loaded American League West.
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