Seattle Mariners pitcher Emerson Hancock is stepping up his game as he prepares for the 2025 season by adding new pitches to his arsenal. Known for the Mariners’ tradition of young pitchers incorporating new offerings, Hancock joins his teammates Bryce Miller, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby, who have all expanded their repertoires over recent seasons.
The 2020 first-round draft pick has been working diligently this offseason, mainly at his home state of Georgia, to refine his skills. "They kind of wanted me to develop all of them," Hancock shared during a recent conversation with Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. "It was like just start with (the) curveball and then go to (the) sweeper, then go to (the) cutter and then go to a different grip on the gyro (slider). It was a lot of fun, to be honest, to just kind of have the time and just kind of work through all these pitches." Hancock's pitching arsenal in 2024 included primarily four-seamers, sinkers, changeups, and sliders. The introduction of the curveball, sweeper, and cutter marks significant expansions to his offerings.
Hancock faced challenges last season, particularly with his slider, which was hit hard, allowing batters to score at a .300 average and achieve a .600 slugging percentage against it. The need for improvement on this pitch became evident, leading him to focus on developing his gyro slider to give it late-breaking downward movement, contrasting with the horizontal break typical of regular sliders. "I think it’s kind of different for everyone," Hancock said about the development of his pitches. "For me, it’s just kind of like a spike grip, and the spike for me was really hard at the beginning, but now it’s gotten where it’s comfortable." His ambition reflects the competitive spirit within the Mariners' rotation.
Hancock finds himself uniquely positioned as the No. 6 option for the Mariners' formidable five-man starting rotation. Despite being the third consecutive first-round pitcher selected by Seattle, he has been surpassed by both Miller and Bryan Woo, who were drafted later but have shown notable performance. Last season, he pitched 4-4 with a 4.75 ERA over 60 2/3 innings, contributing to the team when Woo was injured at the start of the year.
Despite this setback, Hancock remains focused and optimistic about his career. "I think the biggest thing is just embrace whatever role you’regiven, and at the end of the day, I want to win. I want to help us win. I want to help our organization any way I can," he stated, conveying both his determination and loyalty to the Mariners organization. His commitment to team success is evident as he prepares for what's to come.
Looking forward to the 2025 season, Hancock is expecting to start the season likely at Triple-A, reflecting on the competition for spots within the pitching lineup. Nonetheless, the option to adapt to different roles is not lost on him. "I think I could definitely adjust to it. Now, I think I am a starter. I love starting. It’s what I’ve always done, but I definitely think if it was one of those things where we needed to do it or we needed to make the change, I definitely think I could adjust to it," he mentioned, emphasizing his willingness to help the team wherever it needs him.
With Derrick Whitmore's recent contributions and Hancock striving to craft his new pitches, the Mariners boast considerable depth and talent on the mound. The spirit of healthy competition is strong, with the young pitching staff aiming to secure their positions and help lead Seattle to success.