Author Topic: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS  (Read 8469 times)

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Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #125 on: October 29, 2025, 11:09:17 am »
King currently 7th in AFL in OPS.


Also has the 4th fastest max sprint speed (30.7 ft/sec.) per statcast.
https://www.mlb.com/news/arizona-fall-league-early-statcast-standouts

Online blue911

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #126 on: October 29, 2025, 11:33:48 am »
King currently 7th in AFL in OPS.


Also has the 4th fastest max sprint speed (30.7 ft/sec.) per statcast.
https://www.mlb.com/news/arizona-fall-league-early-statcast-standouts

That’s Trea Turner fast.

Offline imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #127 on: October 31, 2025, 08:45:54 am »

Offline welch

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #128 on: October 31, 2025, 09:40:54 am »
That’s Trea Turner fast.

Move CJ to 2B

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #129 on: October 31, 2025, 11:00:06 am »
It's funny how a good September and an AFL can turn people's opinion around on the guy.

Does make me wonder how much bad minor league coaching and hitting / pitching philosophy killed some of the other draft choices. Was it the choices and talent level or was it bad coaching and teaching?

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #130 on: October 31, 2025, 11:11:39 am »
Maybe. Maybe he is just a utility guy. But if Baker had King's physical ability, Baker is a big leaguer. King is better across the board physically. Bigger, stronger, more athletic, a better arm. His arm doesnt prevent him from the left side of the infield, like Baker's did. You can debate how much power King will have, but hes undoubtedly got a lot more than Baker. Baker hit 7 bombs in 1700 minor league AB's. King has 6 in 583.

Its definitely disappointing to see other guys take off and perform already. There were definitely more upside guys available on draft day. But giving up on a guy after one full season in the minors is a bit premature.
Keith Law:  (emphasis mine)
K Law seems to think that the D at SS is near elite (70). He seems out there a little bit but even if he gives  you average SS defense, that's an upgrade on CJ and let's you move CJ around (or deal him). I still assume King starts next year in Harrisburg and is long shot for a call up late next year, but  I'm glad it looks like there's some return even if it's not the pick most of us wanted made. Heck, I'd love it if that smug for GM got to gloat about this guy ("everyone said it was a stretch but I was right as always").

Oh, just a reminder: he doesn't post a lot, but if RD posts on a prospect, it's the best judgment of all of us.

Offline imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #131 on: October 31, 2025, 12:48:36 pm »
FWIW: King scored from third (after his triple) on a WP last night, then came out of the game. :nervous:

He managed to drive in two on a sac fly in his first AB.

Offline imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #132 on: November 01, 2025, 07:34:43 am »
Was back in the lineup yesterday: 2-4, 2RBI, 2SBs.

Offline imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #133 on: November 07, 2025, 11:47:03 am »
Jumped from 9 to 5 in BBA's top-10 Nats prospects.

Online Natsinpwc

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #134 on: November 07, 2025, 12:38:52 pm »
Jumped from 9 to 5 in BBA's top-10 Nats prospects.
Good news!

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #135 on: November 07, 2025, 01:50:18 pm »
Good news!

what a way to make a living....

Offline welch

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #136 on: November 07, 2025, 04:55:49 pm »
Sounds like King is ready to field SS, and to steal bases. Maybe he will hit well enough in Harrisburg and then Rochester that the Nats can trade CJ at the deadline.

Offline imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #137 on: November 20, 2025, 10:49:56 am »
Named to the 2025 All-AFL 1st team: .359/.468/.563/1.031

Offline imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #138 on: November 20, 2025, 10:54:14 pm »
Callis ranks King as the #10 prospect in the AFL this year:
Quote
King can do a little bit of everything, making regular contact while showing 15-homer power and the athleticism and arm strength to play all over the diamond. He hit .359/.468/.563 with six steals in 18 games, though he could get more out of his advanced bat-to-ball skills if he toned down his aggressive approach. Scouts don't see him as more than an average shortstop and wonder how long the Nationals will keep him there.

Offline Smithian

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #139 on: November 21, 2025, 10:59:50 am »
Average shortstop is a quality utility player

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #140 on: November 21, 2025, 12:28:56 pm »
Callis ranks King as the #10 prospect in the AFL this year:
as for the "[s ]couts ... wonder how long they will keep him" at SS, isn't the answer he can play there until Willits is ready and then move to another infield position?

Offline Slateman

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #141 on: November 21, 2025, 01:21:27 pm »
I'm gonna hold in the "wait and see" camp. Need to see some sustained success in Double A before getting excited.

Offline IanRubbish

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #142 on: November 22, 2025, 10:27:09 am »
I'm gonna hold in the "wait and see" camp. Need to see some sustained success in Double A before getting excited.

Yes. 

Long list of players putting up elite numbers in the AFL and struggling again in AA/AAA. 

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #143 on: November 22, 2025, 10:49:36 am »
Wait and see is better than bust, which is what we saying in August

Offline imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #144 on: November 22, 2025, 12:05:28 pm »
He had a good last month in AA. I’m hopeful for next year.

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Offline imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #146 on: January 26, 2026, 10:37:42 am »
#94 on Keith Law's 2026 Top-100:
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King’s first full season in the minors was mostly a fiasco, the result in part of someone in the Nats’ organization trying to get him to pull the ball in the air more, which led King to struggle to recapture his swing until he had the chance to reset in the Arizona Fall League. The silver lining for Washington’s 2024 first-round pick was that he proved himself to be a plus-plus defender at shortstop, a position he played only intermittently as an amateur, with excellent range in both directions and quick actions. He’s also a plus runner who showed excellent reads on the bases, with 30 steals in 34 attempts during the regular season. He started out in my backyard in Wilmington with a 2-for-26 stretch to open the season, striking out 14 times, then eventually hit well enough at the level (.263/.307/.380) that the Nationals moved him up to Double A, which also got him to a better hitter’s park in Harrisburg, but he hit .233/.287/.313 at the higher stop, with fewer whiffs and strikeouts but too many ground balls. He was a different guy in the box in Arizona, and much, much closer to the player we saw at Wake Forest in 2024. The AFL is a hitter’s paradise, but King excelled relative to the other hitters putting up gaudy numbers as well. He finished in the top 10 in the AFL in average, OBP and slugging, and looked looser and more fluid at the plate, rather than hitting in survival mode as he had for large portions of the regular season. He showed above-average power and made very consistent hard contact during his whole stint, peaking at 111 mph, while he made much better swing decisions, including staying in the strike zone much more — his chase rate after a midseason promotion to Double A was 35 percent, but he cut that to 25 percent in the AFL. I’m betting the version we saw in the desert in October and November is the real Seaver King, not the one who couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn back in April. We’ll see if the new regime in DC can capitalize on his gains in the Fall League.

Also getting an invite to big league camp per TalkNats.

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #147 on: January 26, 2026, 12:54:58 pm »
Trade CJ and run with Nunez until we see if afl king is for real. If he is, he’ll be up soon

Offline imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #148 on: January 26, 2026, 01:00:01 pm »
Trade CJ and run with Nunez until we see if afl king is for real. If he is, he’ll be up soon
Law missed that King had a great last month at AA as well. Definitely not out of the question that we see him in DC next year.

Offline Slateman

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Seaver King, SS
« Reply #149 on: January 26, 2026, 04:14:15 pm »
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6985939/2026/01/26/top-mlb-prospects-2026-keith-law-konnor-griffin/

Quote
King’s first full season in the minors was mostly a fiasco, the result in part of someone in the Nats’ organization trying to get him to pull the ball in the air more, which led King to struggle to recapture his swing until he had the chance to reset in the Arizona Fall League. The silver lining for Washington’s 2024 first-round pick was that he proved himself to be a plus-plus defender at shortstop, a position he played only intermittently as an amateur, with excellent range in both directions and quick actions. He’s also a plus runner who showed excellent reads on the bases, with 30 steals in 34 attempts during the regular season. He started out in my backyard in Wilmington with a 2-for-26 stretch to open the season, striking out 14 times, then eventually hit well enough at the level (.263/.307/.380) that the Nationals moved him up to Double A, which also got him to a better hitter’s park in Harrisburg, but he hit .233/.287/.313 at the higher stop, with fewer whiffs and strikeouts but too many ground balls. He was a different guy in the box in Arizona, and much, much closer to the player we saw at Wake Forest in 2024. The AFL is a hitter’s paradise, but King excelled relative to the other hitters putting up gaudy numbers as well. He finished in the top 10 in the AFL in average, OBP and slugging, and looked looser and more fluid at the plate, rather than hitting in survival mode as he had for large portions of the regular season. He showed above-average power and made very consistent hard contact during his whole stint, peaking at 111 mph, while he made much better swing decisions, including staying in the strike zone much more — his chase rate after a midseason promotion to Double A was 35 percent, but he cut that to 25 percent in the AFL. I’m betting the version we saw in the desert in October and November is the real Seaver King, not the one who couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn back in April. We’ll see if the new regime in DC can capitalize on his gains in the Fall League.

Didn't CJ Abrams have a problem with this hitting philosophy too?