Corey Seager Has Emerged As A Premier Shortstop

Corey Seager won the 2020 World Series MVP for a reason. He was the best and most important piece to the Dodgers World Series run. The only thing that went wrong for Seager the entire postseason was trying to have a conversation with Rob Manfred while lifting the MVP Trophy. Otherwise, it was a flawless postseason.

Corey Seager has emerged as a premier shortstop in baseball. When you talk about the best players at the shortstop position, it’s time to include Seager. The Dodgers infielder is right up there with Xander Bogaerts, Francisco Lindor, Tim Anderson, Fernando Tatis Jr, etc.

I’d go as far as to say Seager is the Dodgers’ best player. It’s not a fluke that he won the WS MVP. Seager’s 2020 metrics are off the charts.

Seager 2020 ranks:

• 97th percentile in exit velocity
• 98th percentile in hard hit%
• 98th percentile in xwOBA
• 99th percentile in xBA
• 99th percentile in xSLG
• 95th percentile in Barrel%

Use any metric you want; Seager is as dominant as it gets. Seager is coming off a World Series where he hit .400 with a .556 on-base percentage. Seager also hit seven home runs in the NLCS and WS combined. The man is an absolute tank.

Seager is so valuable to the Dodgers. The shift is such a vital part of the game now. Any left-handed hitter in your lineup has to be able to beat the shift. If he can’t, then you’re not valuable. The shift is so prevalent, and it’s affecting right-handed hitters too.

In 2020, teams shifted against Seager at a 72.8% rate. Seager thrived anyway, recording a .448 wOBA against the shift. He was better on the season when teams shifted him compared to when they didn’t. That’s what you want out of your left-handed hitters.

When Seager went down with an injury in 2018, he came back the following year stronger. There’s a lot of shortstops that can hit. It’s very rare to find ones that also come with elite power. Checking in at 6-foot-4, 215, Seager always had hidden power. We’re just seeing it a lot more the past two years.

The ball jumps differently off Seager’s bat. The hard-hit metrics, as previously shown, elucidate that. Seager hit 19 home runs in 2019, but his power has gone to a different level this year. In 2020, Seager hit 15 homers (in 52 games) with an OPS of .943 and OPS+ of 152.

Unlike Cody Bellinger, Seager has a swing built to last. He keeps getting better for a reason. His knees are bent, and jumps on the ball like a dog that got a running start and broke the leash. Whether he faces lefties or righties, it doesn’t matter. Location of the pitch? Doesn’t matter, Seager hammers everything.

Now, this is a ballplayer right here. When we talk about stars on the Dodgers, Seager should be one of if not the first name mentioned. The former first-round pick in 2012 will enter the final year of team control in 2021. The Dodgers need to prioritize keeping Seager long term.

Seager, 26, is an elite shortstop that Dodgers need to hang on to. If Gavin Lux can flourish as a premier talent, we’re talking about a middle infield that could become the best in the game. It’s time to give proper respect to the man that just won the World Series MVP. This wasn’t just some fluke postseason outing. Corey Seager is a SUPERSTAR.

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