After an unlikely path to becoming a top 10 pick, Seaver King has an important 2025 ahead of him
Seaver King is not your average top 10 pick. He was not a highly touted prospect from a young age. In fact, he did not get any division I offers out of high school. King spent the first two years at Division II Wingate College in North Carolina. He was so impressive there, and in the Cape Cod league that he was hyped up as a first round caliber prospect before transferring to Wake Forest.
After a good season at Wake Forest, King was expected to go in the middle of the first round, with MLB Pipeline ranking him as their number 17 draft prospect. The Nationals surprised many by taking him at number 10 overall. A big reason behind the Nats selecting him was to sign him under slot value. They signed King for $5.15 million, well below the $5.95 million slot value.
The biggest positives of King’s game are his athleticism and versatility. King is an explosive athlete, who is a plus runner, and has good raw power. His exit velocity numbers are consistently above average. He also has experience at multiple different positions. King has played shortstop, third base, second base, and the outfield. However, the Nationals played him at shortstop during his pro debut.
King’s pro debut showed both his strengths and weaknesses. He hit .295 at Fredericksburg, showing off his hit tool and athleticism. However, he did not hit a home run in 78 at bats. While King has above average raw power, his propensity to hit the ball on the ground has meant it has not shown up in games. King also showed a lack of plate discipline, consistently chasing pitches outside of the zone in his pro debut.
For King to maximize his potential, he will have to unlock more power. Compared to most college prospects, King is fairly raw and high variance. This makes sense given his background and quick rise from D2 to the first round. He also has a lot of untapped potential, making him an interesting prospect. King will take longer to reach the big leagues than most college prospects, but could have more upside.
King could be the shortstop of the future depending on what happens with CJ Abrams. However, I think his most exciting role could be as a super utility man. He is a different style of player, but he could be deployed and have similar value to a Ben Zobrist type if he reaches his ceiling. While there were safer, higher ranked options on the board, Seaver King is an interesting prospect, who also saved the Nationals some money they spent on other prospects we will talk about later.