It’s only fitting that one of the most intriguing youngsters in the 2018 MLB Draft finds himself in pinstripes.
The New York Yankees selected catching and pitching prospect Anthony Seigler out of Cartersville High School in Georgia on Monday night with the 23rd-overall pick of the draft.
While being a switch-hitter has become commonplace in today’s game, Seigler is ambidextrous on the mound, meaning he can throw either right-handed or left-handed.
He’s no slouch on the hill either considering his fastball can reach the low 90’s regardless of which side he’s throwing from.
Seigler isn’t built like a catcher. At 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, he has an athletic build with surprisingly decent speed as most catchers are not fleet of foot. It could invoke a positional change, especially because he has plenty of developing to do when it comes to calling a game or throwing out potential base stealers. He has some experience playing second and third base.
Offensively, the Florida commit does not possess a ton of power, but he has a consistently good, level swing from both sides of the plate that could yield plenty of extra-base hits. He projects to be a high on-base percentage bat, though his profile can change if he works with a swing coach and focuses on launch angle. Then the Yankees could have a 20-to-25 home-run bat.
“The thing that attracts you to Seigler is that he has the tools to catch, and he’s a switch-hitter, which makes him a unique commodity. He’s showing power from both sides of the plate, has really great instincts for baseball, a plus-arm and runs well for a catcher,” Yankees Director of Amateur Scouting Damon Oppenheimer said (h/t NJ.com). “On top of that, he’s proven to be versatile, with his ability to play other positions. Seigler’s got top-of-the-line makeup. We’re very happy about him.”
At a catching standpoint, I see some J.T. Realmuto in him given the athleticism and solid on-base percentage that he could bring to the position. If Seigler can pop 10-to-15 home runs per year as a catcher, it would almost mirror Realmuto’s first three full seasons in the majors. But if he is called on to move positions, say second base, then on a physical comparison alone, you can’t help but think of Hall-of-Famer Craig Biggio who started his career behind the plate before transitioning to the infield.
