Ross Seaton

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Houston Astros #21 prospect in 2013
  Few Astros farmhands embody the Bobby Heck era more than Seaton. The club's first draft under its former scouting director/assistant GM was in 2008, and four of the top five picks were high schoolers, including Seaton. He signed for $700,000, well above-slot money for the supplemental third round. Those prospects entered a system with zero depth, so they all were thrown into full-season competition in their first full pro seasons--and all of them except for Jordan Lyles struggled with the assignment. First-rounder Jason Castro (a college product) and Lyles are big leaguers but don't appear to be future stars, and Seaton is the only player with big league potential left in the system from that draft. He set career bests for innings (169), strikeout rate (6.2 per nine innings) and walk rate (2.0 per nine) in 2012, earning a pair of promotions to Triple-A. Seaton threw 91-94 mph earlier in his career, but now he's a sinker-slider pitcher with average velocity on both offerings. He'll pitch at 87-92 mph with his sinking two-seamer, commanding it well down and away to both sides of the plate. He keeps his hard slider down in the zone, and he has the pitchability to throw both his curveball and changeup--fringy pitches at best--for strikes in fastball counts. He doesn't have enough stuff to miss up in the strike zone and remains fairly homer prone. Seaton hasn't missed a start in three seasons and profiles as a back-of-the-rotation innings-eater. Added to the 40-man roster in November, he'll head to Triple-A for the full 2013 season.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #16 prospect in 2012
  Signed for an over-slot $700,000 as a supplemental third-rounder in 2008, Seaton embodies some of the best and worst elements of the Astros system. In a thin organization, he's taking a long time to develop and hasn't performed well. He's also very young and has been pushed out of necessity, pitching the entire 2011 season in Double-A at age 21 after posting a 6.64 ERA at Lancaster the year before. He was overmatched for much of last year but compiled a 3.43 ERA in the final month after improving his mechanics and getting better extension. Club officials credit Corpus Christi pitching coach Don Alexander with getting Seaton out front more, allowing him to better locate his fastball inside against righthanders. He also quickened his delivery's tempo and shortened his arm action. Seaton pitches with a quality fastball at 91-94 mph. His slider improved along with his mechanics, giving him a second plus pitch at times. His fringy changeup will have to get better for him to combat lefties, who put up an .824 OPS against him last year. Seaton could take a step forward in 2012, when he repeats a level for the first time with what should be an older, more competitive Corpus Christi club.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #17 prospect in 2011
  Signed for an over-slot $700,000 bonus as a supplemental third-rounder in 2008, Seaton had the unenviable task last season of being the workhorse pitcher for Lancaster, where the wind howls out past the outfield fences and the dry infield is one of the minors' fastest. He had some of the worst numbers in the minor leagues, ranking fourth-worst in ERA and seventh in hits allowed. The Astros admit it's difficult to evaluate players at Lancaster, and Seaton is a fine example. At home, he posted a 9.16 ERA and gave up 16 home runs in 56 innings, with a .387 opponent average. On the road, he allowed six homers in 90 innings and a .283 average. Seaton's stuff was better in 2010 than in his first full season, as his velocity returned to prep levels. His two-seam fastball sat at 90-91 mph, and he ran his four-seamer back to 94. He also maintained his velocity throughout the season, and took every turn for the second straight year. Seaton can spin a breaking ball, and at times his slider has two-plane break, giving him a strikeout pitch. His firm changeup has its moments. Seaton doesn't get a ton of movement on his fastball, and leaves it up in the zone when he doesn't finish off his delivery. He doesn't locate well when he's behind in the count. His delivery got more out of whack out of the stretch, though his numbers were better with runners on base. Seaton is a hard worker and student of the game, and the Astros are encouraged by his velocity. He'd likely return to the high Class A if not for Lancaster's unforgiving environment, but a promotion to Corpus Christi is likely.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #6 prospect in 2010
  Seaton's velocity and draft stock skyrocketed during his senior high school season in 2008. Teams backed off him because he was a valedictorian strongly committed to Tulane, but the Astros signed the local product for $700,000 as a supplemental third-round pick. He had a solid 2009 season as a teenager in low Class A, but his stuff wasn't as good as it was in high school. At Lexington, Seaton stood out more with his size and control than his stuff. His fastball was down about 3 mph from high school, sitting at 87-91 mph and touching 93. Houston hopes he'll recover velocity after getting acclimated to the long pro season. He also throws an 81-83 mph slider that flashes average tilt, though it's not a true out pitch. Seaton's delivery lacks fluidity and can become mechanical, creating issues with his rhythm and timing. He doesn't fully incorporate his lower half, which he worked on in instructional league. He didn't throw a curveball in high school, but the Astros made him use one in the first half of last season and it was slurvy. His changeup also needs work. Seaton wasn't as good as advertised in his first full pro season, which isn't unusual for a high schooler pitching every fifth day for the first time. Houston believes smoothing out his mechanics will help him in 2010, when he'll open the season in high Class A.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #3 prospect in 2009
  Seaton was relatively unheralded at the beginning of his senior year. But then he touched 96 mph in the spring, rocketing up draft boards, and landed as the top prep pitcher in the Texas prep ranks. He graduated as his high school's valedictorian and signed for $700,000 as a third-round supplemental pick. He didn't sign until late July and made just three starts in his pro debut. Scouts love Seaton's big frame, feel and command of three pitches, even out of a quarterback-like release. He has a smooth and easy delivery that's repeatable, allowing his fastball to sit consistently at 90-94 mph. His slider can be devastating to young hitters, and his changeup is a nice weapon. The Astros liked the way he pitched to contact in instructional league and that he enjoys talking pitching. He has a businesslike approach. Seaton tends to get jumpy off his back side, resulting in hurried, off-target throws. One scout said Seaton needed to use his legs more out of his delivery because, like many young pitchers, he tries to generate most of his velocity from his upper body. An adjustment there would help sharpen the slider, turning it into more of a late breaker. Given his drive, frame and maturity, Seaton projects to be a No. 2 starter in the majors with a shot to be a top-of-therotation figure. He'll likely open at low Class A Lexington, in the same rotation with Jordan Lyles, Houston's supplemental first-round pick in the same draft.