Ian Seymour

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #17 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: At Virginia Tech and then with the Rays, Seymour has proven to be a funky lefty who always seemed to leave hitters wondering why and how he got them out. Something seemed off to start 2022, which proved to be a torn elbow ligament that needed Tommy John surgery. He made it back to the mound late in 2023 and once again looked like his old funky self. In 2021 and 2023 combined, he recorded a 1.76 ERA.
  
  Scouting Report: Seymour has an exaggerated and high-tempo hip turn to begin his delivery. Not only does it seem odd to watch, but it also hides the ball well and seems to aid in the deception of his plus low-80s changeup. Seymour’s changeup has solid separation and exceptional deception. Even hitters who are looking for it see fastball out of his hand. Seymour’s low-90s fastball is a solid pitch in its own right thanks to plus life when he gets it above hitters’ hands. He has a below-average slider and slow curve, but both seem almost superfluous because he has yet to develop feel for either of them. He is an average strike-thrower.
  
  The Future: While Seymour has long been a starter, the expectation of most evaluators is that he will eventually move to the bullpen, where his fastball/changeup approach will bedevil hitters an inning or two at a time. He should get a chance to return to Double-A Montgomery for a third and hopefully final time to start 2024, but he should get to Triple-A Durham soon if everything goes as hoped.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Slider: 40 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 45
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #14 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Seymour is one of the best pitchers in Virginia Tech history, which just happens to be the alma mater of Rays GM Erik Neander. Seymour likely would have become the Hokies’ all-time strikeout leader if not for the shortened 2020 season. The Rays picked him in the second round and saw him blossom in his pro debut in 2021.
  
  Scouting Report: Seymour is funky. He uses a relatively unique motion, as he begins by taking a simple step back with his right foot that feeds into his hip turn. It’s a very rotational delivery with plenty of crossfire and sometimes a head whack. The delivery helps him hide the ball, and his 90-94 mph plus fastball has exceptional carry through the top of the zone as well as a flat approach angle that generates swings and misses. His 79-83 mph plus changeup has solid velocity separation and plenty of deception and fade. Seymour’s fringe-average slider comes and goes too much. It needs to develop if he’s going to turn over a lineup twice. He also throws a slow, get-over curve. Despite his delivery, Seymour is a strike-thrower with above-average control.
  
  The Future: Seymour has the stuff to pitch in the majors. If he doesn’t develop his breaking ball, he’s likely a multi-inning reliever or a bulk-inning pitcher who can go through the lineup once. If he can find a more consistent slider or curve, he could be a back-end starter.
  
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #30 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Seymour earned a spot in Virginia Tech's weekend rotation just a couple of weeks into his college career. He left as one of the best starters in program history. The coronavirus shutdown cost him his shot at topping Joe Saunders' school strikeout record. Saunders is the only Hokie to be drafted higher than Seymour in the 21st century.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Seymour was one of the most competitive pitchers in college baseball in 2020. He wouldn't rank among the top 60 players in the class based on pure stuff, but his makeup and toughness help him get the most out of his ability. Setting up from the extreme third base side of the rubber, Seymour's closed-off delivery means that righthanded hitters are staring at his back because he hides the ball well. Seymour's delivery has plenty of effort and a hard finish, but his arm is consistently on time. He throws strikes and has been durable. Seymour generally has sat 91-93 mph and sometimes struggles to maintain that velocity, but he touched 95 more often in 2020. His changeup is an above-average pitch already. His cutterish short slider gives him a fringe-average breaking ball.
  
  THE FUTURE: Despite Seymour's durability, scouts largely see him moving to the bullpen because of his delivery. His run-through-a-wall competitiveness should serve him well in any role.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #93 prospect in 2020 draft
  A reliable starter over his first two years with Virginia Tech (3.95 ERA in 26 starts and 139.1 innings), Seymour was starting to take everything to another level in 2020 before the season was canceled. Over his first four starts and 20.1 innings, Seymour posted a 2.21 ERA with 40 strikeouts and five walks. His strikeout and walk rates would both be easily the best of his career if he continued that sort of production for the season, and while it’s certainly a small sample, he did have a 14-punchout game against Georgia Tech—the most a VT pitcher has ever had in an ACC matchup. Seymour also had a strong summer in the Cape Cod League prior to his abbreviated junior campaign, posting a 2.49 ERA over 25.1 innings in five starts, with 39 strikeouts and six walks. As for stuff, Seymour has a solid three-pitch mix, including an average fastball that touches 94, a hard slider/cutter that is developing but should be effective at the next level, and a changeup that flashes plus. Entering the year, scouts were concerned that Seymour might be a reliever, thanks to a below-average operation. Even without an ideal delivery, it’s hard to argue with Seymour’s results. It would be one thing if he struggled to throw strikes because of the delivery, but that hasn’t been the case. Scouts and coaches alike praise Seymour’s competitive demeanor, and he seems likely to go off the board in the 2-4 round range.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Seymour is one of the best pitchers in Virginia Tech history, which just happens to be the alma mater of Rays GM Erik Neander. Seymour likely would have become the Hokies’ all-time strikeout leader if not for the shortened 2020 season. The Rays picked him in the second round and saw him blossom in his pro debut in 2021.
  
  Scouting Report: Seymour is funky. He uses a relatively unique motion, as he begins by taking a simple step back with his right foot that feeds into his hip turn. It’s a very rotational delivery with plenty of crossfire and sometimes a head whack. The delivery helps him hide the ball, and his 90-94 mph plus fastball has exceptional carry through the top of the zone as well as a flat approach angle that generates swings and misses. His 79-83 mph plus changeup has solid velocity separation and plenty of deception and fade. Seymour’s fringe-average slider comes and goes too much. It needs to develop if he’s going to turn over a lineup twice. He also throws a slow, get-over curve. Despite his delivery, Seymour is a strike-thrower with above-average control.
  
  The Future: Seymour has the stuff to pitch in the majors. If he doesn’t develop his breaking ball, he’s likely a multi-inning reliever or a bulk-inning pitcher who can go through the lineup once. If he can find a more consistent slider or curve, he could be a back-end starter.
  
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Seymour earned a spot in Virginia Tech's weekend rotation just a couple of weeks into his college career. He left as one of the best starters in program history. The coronavirus shutdown cost him his shot at topping Joe Saunders' school strikeout record. Saunders is the only Hokie to be drafted higher than Seymour in the 21st century.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Seymour was one of the most competitive pitchers in college baseball in 2020. He wouldn't rank among the top 60 players in the class based on pure stuff, but his makeup and toughness help him get the most out of his ability. Setting up from the extreme third base side of the rubber, Seymour's closed-off delivery means that righthanded hitters are staring at his back because he hides the ball well. Seymour's delivery has plenty of effort and a hard finish, but his arm is consistently on time. He throws strikes and has been durable. Seymour generally has sat 91-93 mph and sometimes struggles to maintain that velocity, but he touched 95 more often in 2020. His changeup is an above-average pitch already. His cutterish short slider gives him a fringe-average breaking ball.
  
  THE FUTURE: Despite Seymour's durability, scouts largely see him moving to the bullpen because of his delivery. His run-through-a-wall competitiveness should serve him well in any role.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Seymour earned a spot in Virginia Tech's weekend rotation just a couple of weeks into his college career. He left as one of the best starters in program history. The coronavirus shutdown cost him his shot at topping Joe Saunders' school strikeout record. Saunders is the only Hokie to be drafted higher than Seymour in the 21st century.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Seymour was one of the most competitive pitchers in college baseball in 2020. He wouldn't rank among the top 60 players in the class based on pure stuff, but his makeup and toughness help him get the most out of his ability. Setting up from the extreme third base side of the rubber, Seymour's closed-off delivery means that righthanded hitters are staring at his back because he hides the ball well. Seymour's delivery has plenty of effort and a hard finish, but his arm is consistently on time. He throws strikes and has been durable. Seymour generally has sat 91-93 mph and sometimes struggles to maintain that velocity, but he touched 95 more often in 2020. His changeup is an above-average pitch already. His cutterish short slider gives him a fringe-average breaking ball.
  
  THE FUTURE: Despite Seymour's durability, scouts largely see him moving to the bullpen because of his delivery. His run-through-a-wall competitiveness should serve him well in any role.