Mariners Sign Prospect Emerson to Record $95M Extension

The Seattle Mariners have agreed to an eight-year, $95 million contract extension with top prospect Colt Emerson, setting a record for the largest deal given to a player yet to make his major league debut, according to multiple reports Tuesday.

The contract, which begins this season and includes a club option for a ninth year in 2034, guarantees Emerson $95 million and features performance escalators that could increase its value beyond $130 million. It also contains a full no-trade clause. A person familiar with the negotiations spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement has not been officially announced and remains pending a physical. The deal surpasses the previous record of $82 million over eight years that outfielder Jackson Chourio signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in December 2023.

Emerson, a 20-year-old shortstop, was selected by the Mariners with the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of John Glenn High School in New Concord, Ohio. Ranked as the No. 7 prospect in baseball by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, he quickly advanced through the minors last season despite missing time due to injuries, including an oblique strain in April, a broken bone in...