Dodgers News: Corey Seager Promoted To Triple-A Oklahoma City

It was only one week ago that Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he didn’t expect top prospect Corey Seager to remain in Double-A Tulsa for the entire 2015 season.

Sure enough, Seager after going 1-for-2 with a home run in the Drillers’ win Thursday, he appears destined for Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to Bill Plunkett of the OC Register:

#Dodgers are promoting blue chip prospect Corey Seager to Triple A OKC. Hit .372 with 1.039 OPS in 19 games at Double A Tulsa this year

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) May 1, 2015

Seager reached the Double-A level in July last season after hitting .352/.411/.633 with 18 home runs, 34 doubles and 70 RBIs in 80 games with High-A Rancho Cucamonga. At the time 20 years old, moving up a level to face competition older than he is didn’t phase Seager.

The promising shortstop batted .345/.381/.534 and drove in 27 runs in 38 games. Seager’s stats dropped off a bit in the Arizona Fall League, but he earned his first invitation to big league camp this year.

Seager’s poise in the clubhouse and at the plate more than earned the attention of manager Don Mattingly and several players. This season he hit .372/.398/.641 in 19 games with the Drillers and celebrated his 21st birthday on Monday.

Aside from his gaudy offensive production, Seager drew headlines in games where he started at third base, where he played Thursday. Because of his height (listed at 6’4), it’s been projected and assumed Seager will eventually transition to third base in the Majors.

Dodgers director of player personnel Gabe Kapler said recently he prefers not to label Seager by position and Friedman has maintained he’s seen no reason to believe the club’s top prospect can’t have a successful Major-League career at shortstop.

In the same vein, Mattingly likened Seager to Cal Ripken, Jr., during Spring Training and Jimmy Rollins believes his height can be used as an advantage.

Seager joins a Triple-A roster in Oklahoma City that’s littered with players who have Major-League experience and have been called on. Through the first month of the season the Dodgers have already promoted Scott Baker, Mike Bolsinger, Carlos Frias, Chris Heisey, Kiké Hernandez and Sergio Santos.

Additionally, Darwin Barney opened the season with the Dodgers and has since been optioned to Triple-A. David Aardsma, who has seven saves for the Oklahoma City Dodgers, can opt out of his Minor League deal Friday and become a free agent if he isn’t promoted to the Majors.

Seager’s promotion to Triple-A lends more credence to the notion he’ll be among the Dodgers call-ups when rosters expand in September. As was the case when Seager reached the Southern League last season, he’ll again be younger than the competition he faces.

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