Ask BA: Lindor Or Seager?

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Q:Would you rather start a franchise with Corey Seager or Francisco Lindor?

Mark Dorsey
@mgdorsey

BA:

My answer is Carlos Correa. Unfortunately that’s not an option that you gave me, so I can’t take the easy way out. You pose a very good question; one without an easy answer.

Lindor gives a team an excellent defensive shortstop who also was a well above-average hitter in his big league debut. Seager is not the defender Lindor is, but he should be a significantly better hitter. Which player you pick depends some on what you’re looking for and some on how much you believe Lindor reached a new level of excellence last year.

Lindor never slugged better than .407 in a minor league season as he generally was a high-average hitter with gap power ability. He slugged .482 for Cleveland. He’s young enough that his improved home run power could easily be a sign of improved approach and increased strength, but scouts who saw him in the minors expected more of 10-home run power, not the 12 he hit in just 99 games last year.

There’s a little more comfort level in Seager’s ultimate offensive potential. Seager has hit 16 or more home runs in each of his three full pro seasons. He’s the rare middle infielder who can hit for power and average. In a minor league career split between tough hitting leagues (Southern and Midwest) and great hitting leagues (California and Pacific Coast) Seager’s .307/.368/.523 career minor league stat line is exceptional, especially when you consider he reached the majors as a 21-year-old.

Unlike Lindor, Seager is unlikely to play shortstop for the next 10-plus years. He should be able to handle the position adequately for the next few years, but if he gets any bigger and loses any further range, he’ll be best off sliding over to third base.

If you’re asking me, I’ll take Seager largely because his bat has a chance to be a truly special one. I’d be happy with either player as a franchise cornerstone, but it’s harder in my mind to find a lefty-hitting, three-hole hitter who could challenge for batting titles while posting 20-plus home runs than a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop who can hit at the top of the lineup.

I also ran your question by a few pro scouts. They reflected the same lack of consensus. More of them said they would prefer to start a team with Seager, but even among those who voted Seager it was not a slam-dunk pick. Either one is a great building block with Lindor providing a safer, more reliable option while Seager has a chance to be a bigger star.

If Lindor has an edge, it’s that his higher-energy approach has always impressed evaluators who see him as a team leader. That’s not a knock on Seager, but scouts have long seen him as a little lower-energy, something that raises some slight concerns at times.