After being selected sixth overall in the 2020 MLB Draft, former Georgia pitcher Emerson Hancock seeks to assist the Seattle Mariners in the 2025 AL Championship Series. He represents Georgia as the only former Bulldog in the 2025 MLB playoffs.<\/p>\n
In his three-year career at UGA (2018-20), Hancock posted a 3.47 ERA, going 16-7 in the process with 206 strikeouts. He helped Georgia reach as high as the No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2020 shortened season and led the team in strikeouts. Hancock became the first Georgia baseball player to be named a first-team Academic All-American and a first-round draft pick.<\/p>\n
Hancock\u2019s impressive college career followed a head-turning high school career. The Georgia native attended Cairo High School, where he saw most of his playing time out of the bullpen. His control on both sides of the plate, breaking ball and leadership qualities were what made him stand out from other players.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis location and command of the plate like that was extraordinary,\u201d former Cairo head coach Ron Best said.<\/p>\n
Best coached Hancock throughout high school and was aware of his dominance before he even attended Cairo. When he was in eighth grade, Hancock scrimmaged with the junior varsity team, portraying his talent at a higher level. Before joining varsity, Hancock worked with former Major League Baseball pitcher Billy \u201cBoo\u201d Taylor to develop his pitching repertoire and location. After catching for Hancock during training camp, Taylor told coach Best that he had \u201csomething special\u201d coming.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was pretty obvious,\u201d Best said. \u201cEven in middle school he was dominating kids of his age.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some of the qualities that Best raved about were Hancock\u2019s tall frame and ability to pitch the inside part of the plate. His height and slim build help provide him leverage on the mound, giving him a closer release point to the plate and creating an illusion that the ball is being delivered faster. Best also said that most high school players struggle to throw on both sides of the plate. For Hancock, it was never an issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of pitchers in high school can pitch the outer third really well, but pitching the inner third, for whatever reason, is a little tougher for some kids,\u201d Best said. \u201cNot for Emerson. He was always able to bury the ball inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a senior in high school, Hancock posted a 0.75 ERA and struck out 125 batters. Emerson\u2019s hardworking and dedicated demeanor in high school helped him find success as the \u201cmost celebrated baseball player\u201d out of Cairo, according to Best, leading him to his decision to play at Georgia.<\/p>\n
The former No. 11 prospect for the Mariners held an ERA of 4.90 in the 2025 regular season, striking out 64 batters. Hancock and the Mariners clinched the AL West in late September, giving them an extra week of rest heading into the AL Division Series against the Detroit Tigers.<\/p>\n
After a thrilling 15th-inning walk-off by Mariners shortstop Jorge Polanco in Game 5, Seattle is now in the ALCS for the first time in 24 years and faces the No. 1 seed Toronto Blue Jays. Hancock pitched in Game 2, tossing two scoreless innings in relief to close out a 10-3 Mariners win as they took a 2-0 lead in the series. With Seattle on the verge of its first World Series appearance in franchise history, the margins are thin, and Hancock will need to continue to be ready when his number is called.<\/p>\n
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