Chris Seddon

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #24 prospect in 2006
  Five years into his pro career, Seddon reached Triple-A at the age of 21. He has been more and more hittable as he moves up the ladder, but he keeps advancing and earning comparisions to Kirk Rueter and other crafty lefthanders. Seddon has more velocity than Rueter. While his fastball varies from 84-92 mph, it sits toward the high end of that range. His changeup is a solid-average pitch, but neither his curveball nor his delivery were as good last year as they had been in the past. He has good control but doesn't always locate his pitches where he wants within the strike zone. He has a habit of elevating his pitches, which is when he gets in the most trouble. No one questions the overall quality of Seddon's effort and makeup. If he can make the necessary adjustments, especially with his command, he could find a role in Tampa Bay's bullpen.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #16 prospect in 2005
  Seddon continued to make steady if unspectacular progress in 2004, maintaining his status as one of the top lefthanders in the system. He dominated the California League for seven starts, then settled in at the Double-A level. Seddon isn't overpowering, but his mix of pitches works well together and has drawn him comparisons to San Francisco's Kirk Rueter. He has more velocity than Rueter, working with a 90-91 mph fastball with movement. He keeps righthanders honest by pitching inside with his slider and by using his average changeup. Seddon doesn't have much margin for error, so he has to keep his pitches down in the strike zone. The 19 homers he allowed in 21 Double-A starts were the second-most in the Southern League. He needs at least another year in the minors, but the Devil Rays believe he'll be pushing for a job at the end of their rotation sometime in 2006.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #17 prospect in 2004
  Seddon got off to a strong start in high Class A last year, allowing a total of four earned runs in his first four starts. Though he slumped afterward, he still figures prominently in Tampa Bay's plans. Seddon brings a solid repertoire with heavy stuff to the table. His changeup and a hard slider that drives in on the hands of righthanders are among the best in the system. He also has a fastball with good movement that sits in the low 90s. The Rays are confident Seddon's growing, yet wiry frame will enable him to produce additional velocity in the near future, making him more difficult to hit. He needs some more strength, command and consistency, but the ingredients are there. He'll open this season in Double-A.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #14 prospect in 2003
  Seddon was frustrated during the first half of the 2002 season in low Class A. His best pitch was a hard slider that explodes in on the hands of righthanders, but Tampa Bay brass didn't want him throwing it in games because of his previous shoulder problems. He was slowed by soreness and lingering bouts of tendinitis in 2001, which knocked him to the fifth round of the draft. Seddon got the go-ahead to throw the slider again in June, though it took him awhile to recapture his feel for the pitch. In the meantime, his changeup became his out pitch, followed shortly thereafter by the return of his slider. What's more, with a sound shoulder Seddon hit 93 mph with his sneaky fastball, and his curveball developed into an average pitch. He prompts the inevitable comparisons to Tom Glavine, but could become more of a power pitcher than Glavine. Thin and wiry, Seddon needs to continue to add strength. His stuff is heavy, resulting in a .218 opponent batting average, but he must improve his command and control. The Rays believe Seddon could be on the verge of making rapid progress, beginning in high Class A in 2003.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #17 prospect in 2002
  Another product of Tampa Bay's 2001 draft, Seddon is a potential lefthanded power pitcher. His fastball has been clocked as high as 93 mph, though it resided between 86-90 last summer. The Rays believe his inconsistent velocity was a product of a sore shoulder and the stress of moving from high school to pro ball. They think an offseason of rest and a new conditioning program will bring his velocity back. Tampa Bay was ecstatic when Seddon's name was still on the board after four rounds, knowing that a minor battle with shoulder tendinitis as a high school senior had scared some teams. He showed a loose arm and few lingering effects from the ailment in Rookie ball. In addition to his solid fastball, Seddon has a decent curveball and a serviceable changeup that will require more consistency on the outside edges of the plate. His greatest need at this point is becoming bigger and stronger, which should occur naturally as his body matures. The Rays are hoping that Seddon will show he's ready to make the jump to low Class A in spring training.