Kyle Seager
| AB | 5561 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .251 |
| OBP | .321 |
| SLG | .442 |
| HR | 242 |
- Full name Kyle Duerr Seager
- Born 11/03/1987 in Charlotte, NC
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 216 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School North Carolina
- Debut 07/07/2011
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Drafted in the 3rd round (82nd overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2009 (signed for $436,500).
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A three-year starter for North Carolina, Seager is an area scout favorite, not to mention a player opposing coaches respect immensely. National evaluators have a harder time pegging him because he doesn't fit a neat profile. His best tool is his bat. He has a smooth, balanced swing and makes consistent contact with gap power. He ranked third in the nation in 2008 with 30 doubles and was on a similar pace in 2009. He has a patient approach but doesn't project to hit for much home run power because of his modest bat speed and flat swing plane. While he's a fringy runner, he's a fine baserunner. Seager played second base for his first two seasons and moved to third this year, where he has played good defense. Featuring an average arm and impressive agility, he's an average defender at third, if not a tick above. Scouts who like him see a Bill Mueller type who doesn't fit the profile but grinds out at-bats and outs in the field. His detractors see him as a safe pick with low upside and a future reserve or utility player.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Along with Dustin Ackley and lefthander Brian Moran, Seager was one of three players the Mariners drafted from North Carolina in the first seven rounds of the 2009 draft. In his first full pro season, Seager led the minor leagues with 192 hits--the most in the minors since Joe Thurston recorded 196 in 2002. Seager's best tool is his hitting ability, and he projects to bat around .280 in the big leagues. He shows good balance with a compact swing and his bat stays in the hitting zone for a long time. While he hit 14 homers in 2010, he's more of a line-drive hitter who will spray doubles from gap to gap. He's a below-average runner who needs to improve his instincts on the bases. Like he did in college, Seager has split his time as a pro between second and third base, and he also saw action at shortstop last season. His range isn't suited for the middle infield, but he handles routine plays and shows good quickness when turning the double play. With questionable range and top prospects Dustin Ackley and Nick Franklin ahead of him at second base and shortstop, Seager profiles best as a utility player. If he continues to hit in Double-A in 2011, he could be a valuable contributor for the Mariners in the near future. -
Like No. 2 overall pick Dustin Ackley, Seager started for three years at North Carolina and was a major factor in the Tar Heels' three consecutive College World Series runs. Seager played second base as freshman and sophomore before shifting to third base in 2009. He signed for $436,500 as a third-round pick. He had open-heart surgery as a 2-year-old but has had no lingering health concerns. Seager's bat is his lone standout tool. He knows the strike zone and can hit all kinds of pitching. His smooth, balanced lefthanded swing produces line drives up the middle and to left field. With modest bat speed and a flat swing plane, he produces average power, specializing in doubles. A grinder with a thick lower half, he's a below-average runner whose future position likely will depend on the makeup of the club. Though his hands are fine, he doesn't have the thunder in his bat to profile as a true third baseman, and he lacks the athleticism to profile as an ideal second baseman. He also logged time at shortstop last summer, but he has no realistic future there. After holding his own in low Class A during his debut, Seager will begin 2010 at High Desert.
