Corey Drew Seager (born April 27, 1994), nicknamed "Seags", is an American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professiona ...
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...
for the
Texas Rangers of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB).
Seager was selected by the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
in the first round of the
2012 Major League Baseball draft
The 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 4 through June 6, 2012, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Houston Astros, with the first overall pick, selected Carlos Correa from the Puerto ...
, and he made his major league debut in 2015. He was the 2016
National League (NL) Rookie of the Year and was an
MLB All-Star
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
in his first two seasons in the majors. He was named the
NL Championship Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the
World Series MVP while leading the Dodgers to the
2020 World Series
The 2020 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 2020 season. The 116th World Series was a best-of-seven-playoff between the American League (AL) champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League (NL) champion Los A ...
title over the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
. After seven years with the Dodgers, he entered free agency and signed a ten-year deal worth $325 million with the Rangers.
Early life
Corey Seager was born in
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most popu ...
, to Jeff and Jody Seager. He is the youngest of three brothers. His oldest brother
Kyle Seager
Kyle Duerr Seager (born November 3, 1987) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire career for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2011 to 2021. He was selected by the Mariners in the ...
was a third baseman who played for the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...
. The middle brother, Justin, was drafted in the 12th round of the
2013 Major League Baseball draft
The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Each team received one selection per round, going in ...
. Seager grew up a
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
fan and idolized
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees ...
.
Baseball career
Amateur
Seager attended
Northwest Cabarrus High School
Northwest Cabarrus High School, commonly referred to simply as Northwest and abbreviated as NCHS, is a comprehensive public high school located in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States. The school is a part of the Cabarrus County Schools ...
in
Kannapolis, North Carolina
Kannapolis () is a city in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, Cabarrus and Rowan County, North Carolina, Rowan counties, in the U.S. state of North Carolina, northwest of Concord, North Carolina, Concord and northeast of Charlotte, North Carolina, ...
. He committed to attend the
University of South Carolina on a
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
scholarship. The
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB) selected Seager in the first round with the 18th overall selection of the
2012 MLB draft
The 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 4 through June 6, 2012, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Houston Astros, with the first overall pick, selected Carlos Correa from the Puerto R ...
. He received a $2.35 million
signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
to sign with the Dodgers instead of attending South Carolina.
Minor leagues
Seager began his professional career with the
Ogden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Ogden, Utah and play their home games at Lindquist Field.
Pitche ...
of the
Pioneer League, where he had a .309
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
in 46 games in 2012. He was promoted to the
Great Lakes Loons
The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Midland, Michigan, and play their home games at Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007.
Histor ...
of the
Class A Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
for 2013. He hit .309 with 12
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s and 57
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBIs) in 74 games for Great Lakes and was promoted on August 3 to the
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and play their home games at LoanMart Field.
The franc ...
of the
Class A-Advanced
High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
California League
The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...
. In 27 games at the new level, he hit just .160.
Seager played for the
Glendale Desert Dogs
The Glendale Desert Dogs are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. The ballpark is also the spring training facility of the Chicago White ...
in the
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fill ...
after the 2013 regular season, and was selected to play in the AFL Fall Stars Game.
![Corey Seager on May 9, 2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Corey_Seager_on_May_9%2C_2015.jpg)
In 2014, Seager hit .352 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs for the Quakes and was selected to the mid-season California League All-Star team. He played for the USA team at the 2014
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB) in conjunction with the mid-summer MLB All-Star Game. A team of American League-affiliated prospects competes against a team of National League ...
.
After the Futures Game, he was promoted to the
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...
of the
Class AA
Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...
Southern League. With the Lookouts, he played in 38 games and hit .345.
[
Seager was named the MVP of the ]California League
The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...
for 2014. He was also selected to ''Baseball America
''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
''s minor league All-Star team. On September 26, the Dodgers announced that Seager was the co-winner, along with Joc Pederson
Joc Russell Pederson ( ; born April 21, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Br ...
, of the organization's "Minor League Player of the Year" award. He returned to the Desert Dogs in the AFL after the season and was awarded with a spot on the AFL Top Prospects List.
Seager received a non-roster invite to the Dodgers major league spring training in 2015. MLB.com ranked him the 7th-best prospect in baseball going into the 2015 season, and ''Baseball America'' named him the #5 prospect in 2015.
The Dodgers assigned Seager to their new AA affiliate, the Tulsa Drillers
The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club.
Stadium
The Drillers play at ONEOK Field (pronounc ...
of the Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
, to start the 2015 season. In 20 games with the Drillers, Seager hit .375 with five homers and 15 RBI.[ Manager ]Razor Shines
Anthony Razor Shines (born July 18, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) during parts of four seasons for the Montreal Expos, primarily as a first baseman. He later served as ...
said of him, "I'm running out of words to describe this kid. He's phenomenal."
On May 1, 2015, Seager was promoted to the Oklahoma City Dodgers
The Oklahoma City Dodgers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their home games at Chickasaw Bricktown Bal ...
of the Class AAA
Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL ...
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
(PCL). In a game on May 28 against the Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. They are located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and play their home games at Smith's Ballpark. The ballpark op ...
, Seager had six hits in six at-bats, including a home run, and six RBI. He was the second player in the history of the Oklahoma City franchise to record six hits in one game. He was selected to the mid-season PCL All-Star team. In 104 games for Oklahoma City, Seager hit .276 with 13 homers and 59 RBI.[ ''Baseball America'' selected him to their Minor League All-Star team, and named him a AAA All-Star and the AAA Player of the Year.]
Los Angeles Dodgers
2015: September call-up
On September 3, 2015, the Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
called Seager up to the majors, and he made his debut that night as the starting shortstop against the San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
. He had two hits in four at-bats with two RBI in his debut, with his first MLB hit being a double to right field off of Colin Rea
Colin D. Rea (born July 1, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins, and Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brew ...
of the Padres.
On September 12, 2015, against the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
, Seager was 4-for-4 with his first MLB home run (off Josh Collmenter
Joshua Michael Collmenter (born February 7, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves between 2011 and 2017, and currently plays in the Australian ...
), a walk and a stolen base, making him the third-youngest player in history to accomplish that feat (after Ken Griffey Jr. and Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Manuel Cepeda Pennes (; born September 17, 1937), nicknamed "the Baby Bull" and "Peruchin", is a Puerto Rican former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for six teams from 1958 to 1974, primarily the San Francisco Giants. A ...
). On September 21, Seager passed Bill Russell
William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most V ...
by reaching base safely in his first 16 major league starts, a new Dodger record. He hit .337 in 27 games with the Dodgers, with four homers and 17 RBI, supplanting Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin Rollins (born November 27, 1978), nicknamed "J-Roll", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (–), Los Angeles Dodgers (), and Chicago White S ...
as the Dodgers starting shortstop down the stretch. He was the starting shortstop for the Dodgers in the first game of the 2015 National League Division Series, making him the youngest position player to start a postseason game in franchise history.
2016: Rookie of the year
The Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
' Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
starting shortstop in 2016, Seager became the youngest for the Dodgers since Gene Mauch in 1944
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 2 – WWII:
** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...
. On June 3, Seager hit three home runs in a game against the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. He was the first Dodgers shortstop to do so since Kevin Elster
Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; mga, CaoimhghÃn ; sga, Cóemgein ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ).
The variant ''Kevan'' is anglicized from , an ...
in 2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
, the youngest shortstop in major league history to accomplish that feat and the sixth youngest player overall. Seager was named the National League Rookie of the Month for June and was selected to play to the National League All-Star team. He also participated in the Home Run Derby and hit 15 homers, the second best total for a Dodgers player in Derby history, though he failed to advance past the first round.
On August 6, 2016, Seager hit his 31st double of the season, surpassing Eric Karros
Eric Peter Karros (born November 4, 1967) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. Karros played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1991 to 2004 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Oakland Athletics. He was the Nati ...
to set a new Dodgers rookie record, and two days later, he hit his 20th home run of the season, surpassing Hanley RamÃrez
Hanley RamÃrez (born December 23, 1983) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Florida / Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cleveland Indians. Ramà ...
for sole possession of the Los Angeles Dodgers record for home runs in a season by a shortstop. He hit his 22nd homer on August 22, tying Glenn Wright
Forest Glenn Wright (February 6, 1901 – April 6, 1984) was an American professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball from 1924 through 1935 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Robins / Dodgers, and Chicago White Sox.
C ...
for the franchise record. On August 27, he passed Wright to take sole possession of the record, with a first inning homer off of Jason Hammel
Jason Aaron Hammel (born September 2, 1982) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, ...
of the Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
. He and his brother, Kyle Seager
Kyle Duerr Seager (born November 3, 1987) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire career for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2011 to 2021. He was selected by the Mariners in the ...
, became the first pair of brothers in major league history to each hit 25 or more homers in the same season. With two hits on September 17, Seager moved past Steve Sax
Stephen Louis Sax (born January 29, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played as a second baseman in Major League Baseball from 1981 to 1994, most notably as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers with whom he wo ...
(1982
Events January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...
) for the most hits in a season by a Los Angeles Dodgers rookie. On September 20, he became the first Dodgers rookie to hit 40 doubles in a season. He finished his rookie season with a .308 batting average, 26 home runs and 72 RBI in 157 games. ''Baseball America
''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
'' selected him as their 2016 Rookie of the Year as did ''The Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'', and the Players Choice Awards
The Players Choice Awards are annual Major League Baseball awards, given by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).
The Players Choice Awards are given following a secret ballot by players. Four awards go to a player in each league, ...
.
Seager homered in the first inning of Game 1 of the 2016 National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, becoming the youngest Dodgers player in history to hit a postseason home run. He hit .130 with two home runs in the division series and .286 with no homers in the Championship Series
In sport, a championship is a Competition#Sports, competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match sy ...
.[ After the season, Seager was awarded with the ]Silver Slugger Award
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball.
These voters co ...
, the third Dodgers rookie to win the award. He was also the unanimous winner of the National League Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The aw ...
, and the 2016 Esurance
Esurance Insurance Services, Inc. is an American insurance company. It sells auto, home, motorcycle, and renters insurance direct to consumers online and by phone. Founded in 1999, the company was acquired by Allstate in 2011.
History
Esurance ...
MLB/ This Year in Baseball Award winner as Best Rookie.
2017: Second all-star appearance
Following his Rookie of the Year campaign, Seager was considered one of the faces of the "new golden age" of shortstops along with Francisco Lindor
Francisco Miguel Lindor Serrano (born November 14, 1993), nicknamed "Paquito" and "Mr. Smile", is a Puerto Rican professional baseball shortstop for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Cleveland Indian ...
and Trevor Story
Trevor John Story (born November 15, 1992) is an American professional baseball second baseman and shortstop for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies. He made his MLB debut ...
, while the careers of older shortstops such as Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees ...
, Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
, and Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra (; born July 23, 1973) is an American retired Major League Baseball player and current SportsNet LA analyst. After playing parts of nine seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played shortstop, third ...
had concluded. On June 20, 2017, Seager had his second career three-home run game, against the New York Mets. He batted .295/.375/.479 with 22 home runs,[ was named to his second straight ]All-Star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
and won his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award, the first Dodgers player to win back-to-back awards since Mike Piazza
Michael Joseph Piazza ( ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former professional baseball catcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1992 to 2007. He currently serves as the manager of the Italian national baseball tea ...
won five straight from 1993 to 1997. He was bothered at the end of the season by a sore elbow, which reduced his playing time and effectiveness in September.
A back injury suffered in the third game of the 2017 NLDS kept Seager off of the Dodgers roster for the 2017 NLCS. However, he returned to the roster for the 2017 World Series
The 2017 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2017 season. The 113th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the ...
. He had six hits in 27 at-bats, including a home run and a double in the World Series, but the Dodgers lost the series in seven games to the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
.[
]
2018: More injuries and Tommy John surgery
On April 30, Seager was diagnosed with a strain in the ulnar collateral ligament Ulnar collateral ligament (or UCL), may refer to:
* Ulnar carpal collateral ligament
* Ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint
The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) or internal lateral ligament is a thick triangular ligament at the medial aspec ...
of his right elbow, requiring Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2018 season. He was 27-for-101 (.267) with two home runs and 13 RBIs in the 26 games he played.[ He also underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left hip on August 7.
]
2019
Seager was eligible for arbitration for the first time during the 2018-2019 offseason. He agreed to a one-year deal with the Dodgers for $4 million.
On June 11, Seager strained his left hamstring while baserunning and was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to the following day. An MRI exam confirmed the diagnosis of a Grade 1 to Grade 2 strain. Prior to the injury, Seager had been hitting .459 during his last 37 at bats (17 hits, including 7 doubles). He was activated from the injured list on July 10, and two days later began the second half of the season batting at the top of the order against the Red Sox. Seager finished the regular season batting .272/.335/.483 with 19 home runs, and despite missing one month of play, he set new career highs with 44 doubles (tied for the NL lead) and 87 RBIs.[
]
2020: NLCS and World Series MVP
In his second arbitration-eligible season, Seager agreed with the Dodgers to a one-year, $7.6 million contract. On August 17, Corey faced his brother, Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager
Kyle Duerr Seager (born November 3, 1987) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire career for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2011 to 2021. He was selected by the Mariners in the ...
, for the first time in an MLB game and both homered in the game, becoming the first pair of brothers to homer in the same game since César and Felipe Crespo
Felipe Javier Crespo (born March 5, 1973) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball utility player, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for three different teams between and . Listed at 5'11, 195 lb., he was a switch-hitter and th ...
did so on June 7, 2001. The emotions of and background leading up to the Seager brothers' August 17 encounter was published in a mini-documentary on the Dodgers' official YouTube channel.
Seager completed the 2020 regular season having played in 51 of 60 games and hit .307/.358/.585. Among all qualified hitters on the Dodgers, he led the team in batting average, slugging percentage, hits (65), doubles (12), and RBIs (41). Seager attributed much of his hitting success during the season to being fully healthy, as partly evidenced by his career-best Statcast average exit velocity
In baseball statistics, exit velocity (EV) is the estimated speed at which a batted ball is travelling as it is coming off the player's bat. Batters generally aim for a higher exit velocity in order to give opposing fielders less time to react ...
. On defense, he had the highest fielding percentage among major league shortstops, at .952. Seager was named MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
of the 2020 National League Championship Series, and was then named MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
of the 2020 World Series
The 2020 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 2020 season. The 116th World Series was a best-of-seven-playoff between the American League (AL) champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League (NL) champion Los A ...
, while leading the Dodgers to their first championship since 1988. Between the NLCS and the World Series, Seager hit .347/.439/.816 with 7 home runs and 16 RBIs.[
]
2021
In his third and final arbitration-eligible season, Seager agreed to a one-year, $13.75 million contract with the Dodgers. Seager fractured his right hand when he was hit by a pitch by Ross Detwiler of the Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
on May 15. On September 26, 2021, Seager hit his 100th career home run off of Humberto MejÃa
Humberto Albert MejÃa (born March 3, 1997) is a Panamanian professional baseball pitcher for the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamon ...
of the Arizona Diamondbacks. For the season he hit .306 with 16 homers and 57 RBIs.[ In the postseason, he was hitless in three at-bats in the ]Wild Card Game
The Wild Card Series (formerly known as Wild Card Game from 2012 to 2019 and in 2021) are games that serve as the opening round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Major League Baseball postseason, postseason. A single wild card game was first ...
, had five hits in 21 at-bats (.238 average) in the 2021 NLDS and had four hits in 24 at-bats (.167) with two home runs in the 2021 NLCS.[
]
Texas Rangers
On December 1, 2021, Seager signed a 10-year, $325 million contract with the Texas Rangers. The contract was the largest in Rangers franchise history, surpassing Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
's record $252 million deal set in 2000.
In 2022 he batted .245/.317/.455, and had the lowest called-strike percentage of all major league batters (9.0%).
Personal life
Seager married Madisyn Van Ham on December 5, 2020. They began dating in high school.
Awards and accomplishments
Awards
* All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB) in conjunction with the mid-summer MLB All-Star Game. A team of American League-affiliated prospects competes against a team of National League ...
selection (2014)[
* ]Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fill ...
Fall Stars selection (2013)[
* '']Baseball America
''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
'' Triple-A Minor Leagues Player of the Year (2015)[
* ''Baseball America'' Rookie of the Year (2016)][
* ]California League
The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...
Most Valuable Player (2014)[
* ]Esurance
Esurance Insurance Services, Inc. is an American insurance company. It sells auto, home, motorcycle, and renters insurance direct to consumers online and by phone. Founded in 1999, the company was acquired by Allstate in 2011.
History
Esurance ...
MLB/ This Year in Baseball Award winner as Best Rookie (2016)[
* Home Run Derby participant (]2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
)[
* 3x ]Major League Baseball All-Star
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
selection 2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
,[ ]2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
,2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
* National League Rookie of the Month (June 2016)[
* ]National League Rookie of the Year
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The aw ...
(2016)[
* ]Players Choice Award
The Players Choice Awards are annual Major League Baseball awards, given by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).
The Players Choice Awards are given following a secret ballot by players. Four awards go to a player in each leagu ...
for National League Outstanding Rookie (2016)[
* 2x ]Silver Slugger Award
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball.
These voters co ...
at shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
(2016, 2017)[
* ''The Sporting News'' National League Rookie of the Year (2016)][
* ]Topps All-Star Rookie Team
The Topps All-Star Rookie Team, also known as the Topps ASRT, is a set of baseball cards issued by Topps Company, Inc., every year to commemorate notable Major League Baseball rookie players.
History
Since the 1960s, Topps' regular-issue basebal ...
(2016)
* National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
Player of the Week (9/15-9/21, 2019)
* National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player (2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
)
*World Series Most Valuable Player
The Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award is given to the Major League Baseball (MLB) player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the MLB postseason. The aw ...
(2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
)
Accomplishments
* Los Angeles Dodgers record for home runs hit by a shortstop in one season (26 in 2016)[
* Los Angeles Dodgers record for first consecutive major league starts reaching base (16 on September 21, 2015)][
* MLB record, shared with ]Kyle Seager
Kyle Duerr Seager (born November 3, 1987) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire career for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2011 to 2021. He was selected by the Mariners in the ...
, as first pair of brothers to each hit at least 25 home runs in the same season (2016)[
* MLB record as youngest shortstop and sixth youngest overall to hit three home runs in one game (June 4, 2016)][
* First shortstop to hit five home runs in a postseason series (in the 2020 National League Championship Series)]
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seager, Corey
1994 births
Living people
Major League Baseball shortstops
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Texas Rangers players
Ogden Raptors players
Great Lakes Loons players
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players
Glendale Desert Dogs players
Chattanooga Lookouts players
Tulsa Drillers players
Oklahoma City Dodgers players
Arizona Complex League Dodgers players
World Series Most Valuable Player Award winners
National League Championship Series MVPs
Silver Slugger Award winners
Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners
American League All-Stars
National League All-Stars
Baseball players from North Carolina
People from Concord, North Carolina