Texas High School Star Models His Game After Corey Seager. He Could Be the No. 1 Pick.

Most 18-year-old shortstops in Texas say they want to play like Corey Seager. Grady Emerson might actually pull it off.

The Fort Worth Christian High School senior and 2026 Gatorade National Player of the Year recently told MLB Network that he patterns his game after the Rangers’ five-time All-Star. Emerson isn’t just some local kid with big dreams either. He’s projected to go near the very top of the 2026 MLB Draft, potentially as the No. 1 overall pick.

Emerson’s production last season was absurd. He slashed .532/.648/1.013 with seven home runs and 31 stolen bases. That kind of plate discipline and speed combo has drawn comparisons to Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., another shortstop who makes the game look easy. But Emerson specifically mentioned Seager as the guy he tries to mimic. Smart choice. Seager has been one of the most consistent hitters in baseball for over a decade, posting a .285 average and .358 on-base percentage across 4,521 career at-bats, with 230 home runs and 691 RBIs.

Here’s the thing about Emerson’s draft stock though. The Rangers hold the No. 13 pick in the 2026 draft. That’s almost certainly not high enough to land him. The teams sitting at the top right now are the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels, and Boston Red Sox. Any of those clubs could use a franchise shortstop, and Emerson fits the profile. He’s got the bat, the glove, and the swagger that scouts love.

MLB reporter Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints confirmed Emerson’s quote to MLB Network, noting that the shortstop “says Rangers star Corey Seager is a player he tries to play like.” Mistretta also mentioned that UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky is another top shortstop prospect in this class, so Emerson might end up going No. 2 overall instead of first. But then again, one scout told me (off the record, so don’t quote me here) that Emerson’s upside is as high as anyone in the draft. His combination of raw power and elite speed is rare for a high school kid.

Seager himself has been banged up at times during his career, but when he’s healthy he’s a force. Emerson seems to understand that. He’s not just copying Seager’s swing. He’s studying his approach, his two-strike adjustments, his footwork at short. That kind of attention to detail is what separates the guys who peak in high school from the ones who make it to Arlington.

Whether Emerson actually falls to the Rangers or not, one thing is already clear: Texas baseball is producing another shortstop who knows exactly what he wants to be. And he’s got the numbers to back it up.