Corey Seager

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #1 prospect in 2016
  Kyle Seager is one of the game's premier third basemen and has a $100 million contract, yet younger brother Corey might soon surpass him as the best big leaguer in the family. While Kyle spent three years at North Carolina and worked his way up as a Mariners third-round pick in 2009, the younger Seager was drafted by the Dodgers out of high school with the 18th overall pick in 2012. He signed for $2.35 million and quickly developed into one of the game's premier prospects. In 2015, Seager crushed Double-A Tulsa for a month before a promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City. With Jimmy Rollins struggling, the Dodgers called up Seager on Sept. 3 and he became an immediate impact player for them down the stretch, even starting ahead of the veteran Rollins in the National League Division Series loss to the Mets. Seager has all the attributes to hit in the middle of the lineup. He has excellent bat speed with a calm, quiet hitting approach. He has good rhythm and balance with a loose, fluid, lefthanded swing that he's able to keep compact remarkably well for someone with his long levers. Seager has excellent barrel awareness and even cut his strikeout rate from 22 percent in 2014 down to 14 percent in 2015 despite moving from Class A to the upper minors. While many young hitters over-swing and get out of control once they reach the big leagues, Seager showed an uncanny knack for slowing the game down and repeating his swing, which helped him dominate when he got to Los Angeles. His pitch recognition and plate discipline are both solid, while his hitting intelligence is advanced for his age. He does an exceptional job of breaking down how pitchers are attacking him and making adjustments even within an at-bat, self-diagnosing his own flaws and how to go about correcting them. He identifies pitches on which he can inflict damage and has grown into plus raw power, using his hips well and doing an excellent job to generate torque in his swing. He is a potential .300 hitter who could hit 25 or more home runs in his prime. While few doubt Seager's ability at the plate, his future position is an open question. Can he stay at shortstop or does he face a position switch? He is a below-average runner lacking prototypical quickness or range for shortstop. With his 6-foot- 4 frame, many scouts consider him a better fit at third base, where he played 25 games in 2015 and projects as an above-average defender. Yet the Dodgers have kept Seager primarily at shortstop, even in the major league postseason, and some think he can stay there for at least a few more years. While other shortstops can make more acrobatic plays, Seager has a good sense of timing and body control, with sound hands and a plus, accurate arm to make the routine plays. Wherever he ends up in the field, Seager has the potential to become a perennial all-star and one of the best players in baseball. That could happen as quickly as 2016, because he probably won't require additional time at Oklahoma City. He will be a frontrunner for the NL Rookie of the Year award
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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #1 prospect in 2015
  The Seagers look poised to become the next great baseball family. Corey's older brother Kyle, a Mariners third baseman, signed a seven-year, $100 million contract extension after a 2014 season in which he made the all-star team and won a Gold Glove. Similar accolades should soon be in store for Corey, who has an even higher ceiling. The No. 18 overall pick in the 2012 draft, he signed with the Dodgers for $2.35 million, immediately started raking and hasn't stopped since. After reaching high Class A Rancho Cucamonga as a 19-year-old at the end of the 2013 season, Seager returned there to open 2014 and quickly showed he was too advanced for that level, despite missing time with a right hamstring strain. A promotion to Double-A Chattanooga after the Futures Game in July did little to slow down Seager, who still won the Cal League MVP despite his abbreviated time there. He led the entire minors in hitting (.349) and doubles (50) in 2014, then continued to hit in the Arizona Fall League, batting .281 with a league-leading 10 doubles. Seager is one of the most dominant offensive forces in the minors. He's an aggressive lefthanded hitter with an advanced hitting approach well beyond his years. He has a loose, easy swing with good balance that unleashes terrific bat speed with a compact path that helps him stay inside the ball. He hits the ball with high exit speed to all fields, controlling the barrel through the hitting zone and rarely mis-hitting a ball. He's a potential .300 hitter, though he does swing-and-miss some when he chases sliders down and out of the strike zone, but his pitch recognition and plate discipline are both solid. He doesn't overswing, maintaining his line-drive approach and allowing the power to come naturally. It's average raw power now, with a chance to grow into plus power and produce 25 or more home runs in his prime. Seager has come through the system as a shortstop, but few expect he will stay there much longer. He's still filling out his 6-foot-4 frame and is already a below-average runner who lacks the range or quick-twitch actions to stay in the middle of the diamond long term. That's fine, because Seager has all the attributes to be an above-average defender at third base, where his range would be above-average. He got better breaks off the bat last year because he improved his ability to read swings, with a good sense of timing, sound hands and a plus arm that he leaned on heavily at short, where he played deep to mask his limited range. Scouts complained about Seager's low-energy play in 2013, particularly in the AFL, but did so less as he matured and learned how to grind through a season in 2014. With third baseman Juan Uribe signed through 2015, the Dodgers have the perfect bridge to allow Seager another year to develop in the minors, most likely at Triple-A Oklahoma City, before bringing him up to Los Angeles full time. He's a star in the making who should hit in the middle of the lineup and become one of the best players in baseball in the near future.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #2 prospect in 2014
  While Kyle Seager has become an above-average third baseman for the Mariners, younger brother Corey may have a higher ceiling. The No. 18 overall pick in the 2012 draft, Seager dominated the low Class A Midwest League last year before slowing down when the Dodgers challenged him with a promotion to high Class A in August, and he appeared tired as one of the youngest players in the Arizona Fall League. Seager has a mature approach on both sides of the ball. His hand-eye coordination and smooth lefty stroke give him excellent plate coverage with good leverage, and his bat head stays in the hitting zone a long time. While he sometimes expands his strike zone and starts to dive out front, he walked in 11 percent of his plate appearances and should be an on-base threat. Seager has a line-drive approach and works gap to gap, but he can impart backspin on the ball, with the size and strength projection to have plus power in the future. While he's a shortstop now, he is headed to third base long-term and has the ingredients to be an above-average defender there. A below-average runner, he has soft hands, a good internal clock and an above-average arm. Seager will likely return to Rancho Cucamonga, but he could get to Double-A by the end of the year, with a chance to crack the majors in 2015. Seager doesn't have Joc Pederson's track record yet, but both could be future all-stars.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #3 prospect in 2013
  The younger brother of Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, Corey rose up draft boards last spring, eventually landing an above-slot $2.35 million bonus from the Dodgers as the 18th overall pick. Los Angeles hadn't used its top choice on a position player since taking James Loney 19th overall in 2002. Seager has an advanced bat and easily transitioned to pro ball in his debut. He has a clean swing, with good direction to the ball and the ability to keep the bat head in the hitting zone a long time. He ropes line drives to all fields, and he generates enough backspin and loft to hit for above-average power down the road. Seager exudes polish for his age and shows a natural ability to slow the game down, both at the plate and in the field. He already has a physical frame and should get stronger in time. He's an average runner who doesn't have great range at shortstop, though he makes up for it with first-step quickness and his feel for positioning. He has soft hands and the arm to stay on the left side of the infield. Seager likely will face a move to third base at some point, but the Dodgers will keep him at shortstop for now. He has all the makings of an impact bat and could move quickly for a high school player. He'll begin his first full pro season at low Class A Great Lakes.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #19 prospect in 2012 draft
  The younger brother of Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, Corey has been on scouts' radar for a couple of years, but he started moving up draft boards this spring. He has a big, physical frame at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds with plenty of strength. He plays shortstop now and is a good defender, but scouts see him shifting to third base as a pro, where he could provide above-average defense. A lefthanded hitter, he has a simple swing and can go the other way with power. The game comes easy to him and scouts find it easy to see his upside, considering his brother was a third-round pick out of North Carolina and made the big leagues after just 279 minor league at-bats. The younger Seager has a strong commitment to South Carolina, but is likely to be picked in the first round.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #1 prospect in 2015
  Seager, the younger brother of Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, has rocketed through the minor leagues since the Dodgers selected him 18th overall in 2012. He arrived in the PCL on May 1, four days after his 21st birthday, and was the fourth-youngest player to qualify for this list. He ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the game at midseason and completed his ascension to the big leagues in September after a solid Triple-A campaign. Seager is an excellent all-around hitter. He has a loose, balanced swing and can hit for both average and power. He produces good bat speed and employs a mature approach at the plate, allowing him to drive the ball to all fields. Early in his career he would get overaggressive at times, but he slashed his strikeout rate to 14 percent this season as his pitch recognition improved. While Seager is a below-average runner and is big for a shortstop, he's played the position capably throughout the minor leagues. His plus arm helps make up for his fringy range. The Dodgers began to introduce Seager to third base this season and he'll likely eventually move to the hot corner full time, but, for now, he's a capable shortstop.
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  Ranked Southern League #3 prospect in 2014
  Seager dominated the high Class A California League in the first half, leading the circuit with a 1.044 OPS, then received a promotion to Chattanooga after the Futures Game. He continued to put his easy lefthanded stroke to good use at Double-A, hitting a composite .349 with 50 doubles at two levels to lead the minors in both categories. Seager's bat is his carrying tool, and at least one scout regarded him as the best hitter he saw all summer. He unleashes a quick, direct swing that will allow him to hit for a high average and above-average home run production once he learns to backspin the ball more frequently. The ball carries off his bat to all fields, and he already flashes the ability to occasionally turn on the inside pitch. Plus arm strength, passable range and good hands could give the 6-foot-4 Seager a chance to stay at shortstop in the majors, though just as many scouts expect him to slide to third base given his below-average speed and lack of quickness.
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  Ranked California League #2 prospect in 2014
  The only hitter who could challenge Carlos Correa as the circuit's best prospect, Seager led the minors with a .349 overall average and 50 doubles. He earned the Cal League MVP award despite being promoted to Double-A in July. Seager goes to the plate with a plan and hits one hard line drive after another. With how well he uses his legs in his swing and the leverage he creates, he looks like a future 30-homer threat, even though he doesn't sell out for power. "His bat speed is one of the best that I've seen for a younger kid," High Desert manager Eddie Menchaca said. "For being as big as he is, he's got really good bat speed and stays inside the ball really well." Given his physicality, Seager has been tagged a strong candidate to eventually move to third base, a sentiment that continued to be shared by most who saw him in the Cal League. He does have a strong arm and nice agility for his size, along with a knack for positioning and reading hitters' swings that help make up for a lack of pure range.
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  Ranked Midwest League #4 prospect in 2013
  Even more so than Correa, scouts have significant questions about whether Seager will ever play shortstop in the major leagues. They don?t really care, though, because they?ve already factored into their projections that they see him as a future third baseman. Seager takes big swings from the left side, but his hand-eye coordination is good enough that he has the ability to hit for average and power. He needs to become more selective because he has a tendency to chase pitches off the plate. ?As far as squaring up balls, he can hit most pitches,? the AL scout said. ?He needs to work the count into his favor more.? The younger brother of Mariners third baseman Kyle, Seager is a below-average runner now who will likely slow down further as he leaves his teenage years behind. That limits his range, but he has good first-step quickness and an above-average arm to go with soft hands.
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  Ranked Pioneer League #4 prospect in 2012
  While Seager's older brother Kyle is having a solid season with the Mariners, make no mistake about it: Corey has the higher ceiling. Drafted 18th overall in June and signed for $2.35 million, Seager has the tools to hit for average and power. He sometimes gets anxious and pull-happy at the plate, but he also shows the ability to drive the ball to all fields. The big question with Seager is where he'll end up on the diamond. He has solid range and a plus arm, though he's already big and figures to outgrow shortstop and move to third base. He's an average runner with good instincts on the bases.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #1 prospect in 2016
• Ranked Baseball America's #5 prospect in 2015
• Ranked Baseball America's #37 prospect in 2014

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The younger brother of Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, Corey rose up draft boards last spring, eventually landing an above-slot $2.35 million bonus from the Dodgers as the 18th overall pick. Los Angeles hadn't used its top choice on a position player since taking James Loney 19th overall in 2002. Scouting Report: Seager has an advanced bat and easily transitioned to pro ball in his debut. He has a clean lefty swing, with good direction to the ball and the ability to keep the bat head in the hitting zone a long time. He ropes line drives to all fields, and he generates enough backspin and loft to hit for above-average power down the road. Seager exudes polish for his age and shows a natural ability to slow the game down, both at the plate and in the field. He already has a physical frame and should get stronger in time. He's an average runner who doesn't have great range at shortstop, though he makes up for it with first-step quickness and his feel for positioning. He has soft hands and the arm to stay on the left side of the infield. The Future: Seager likely will face a move to third base at some point, but the Dodgers will keep him at shortstop to start his career. He has all the makings of an impact bat and could move quickly for a high school player. He'll begin his first full pro season at low Class A Great Lakes.