Colt Emerson

School: Glenn HS, New Concord, Ohio Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: Auburn
Age At Draft: 18
BA Grade:55/Extreme
Tools:Hit: 55. Power: 50. Run: 50. Field: 50. Arm: 50.

Emerson pushed up draft boards during the fall after a strong summer showcase season. He excelled in Perfect Game’s Jupiter tournament and also was the third-best hitter on USA Baseball’s gold medal-winning 18U team, where he played third base, slashed .360/.515/.520 and walked more than he struck out. The 6-foot-1, 197-pound infielder is a pure hitter, with a smooth and compact lefthanded swing that stays in the zone a long time. Scouts rave about the repeatability and balance of his swing, as Emerson maintains a consistent posture throughout his operation, with a steady head and few unnecessary movements. His barrel manipulation is apparent, and he has a savvy ability to square up the baseball in different quadrants of the strike zone, with good timing vs. all pitch types. On top of his hand-eye coordination, Emerson’s understanding of the strike zone is also advanced. In a 214-pitch sample with Synergy, he missed at just a 16% rate and chased out of the zone at a 15% rate. While he’s much more of a hit-over-power profile currently, he did put on plenty of good weight in the offseason, and started hitting the ball harder and further in the spring. Emerson has turned in above-average run times, but is more of an average runner who has a chance to stick at shortstop with solid arm strength or slide over to either second or third base. He’s on the younger side of the class, will be 17 on draft day and is committed to Auburn.