Seaver
King

Could not have had two more opposite days from Friday to Saturday. Friday there did not seem to be much approach. Swinging out of the hand, expanding early, and just looked to be out of sorts. Was 0-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. Saturday was a new day and a new Seaver King. Looked to be much more in tune with what he wanted to do. Thought we were going to get a little of the same after he cut loose on a first pitch slider in his initial at bat, but he didn’t get fooled on the next one. Sent it out of right center field and was locked in from there on. Sharp lineout on the first pitch in his next at-bat, walked, and grounded out to third where he showed his elite run tool and athleticism. On that particular home to first, he floated a 4.0. He was out front and it was a little bit of a jailbreak time that he got out of the box, but had also turned a 4.07 on Friday night on a ground ball back up the middle. He is a high-end athlete with a 70 grade or better run tool from the right side. An athletic defender with above-average hands, lateral quickness, and showed the athleticism to make off platform throws with accuracy. Maybe more suited for second base as an everyday position, but can plug and play just about anywhere. It is not a big arm and plays that are deep in the hole on the left side could be a concern at the next level, but seemed to have some feel for timing and got it out quickly. Versatile defender in the infield and certainly capable of being an above-average defender in the outfield. Day One tools and athleticism.

Cape Cod: King is one of those development stories we love to see in college sports. An undersized infielder coming out of high school in Athens, Ga., King began his career at Division II Wingate (N.C.). After two strong seasons there, including a 2023 season in which he batted .411/.457/.699, and after growing a couple of inches and putting on weight at Wingate, King is transferring to Wake Forest. Like Culpepper, King split his time this summer between the Cape and the Collegiate National Team. King was only with Harwich for 16 games, but for those 16 games, he was among the best hitters in the league, as he batted .424 in 59 at-bats. He has a quick, short, line-drive stroke that is likely to produce doubles power more than home run power, but in a windy, hitter-friendly environment at Wake Forest next season, he will also likely hit his fair share of homers. Defensively, he’s a quick-twitch athlete who can play anywhere on the infield dirt. His arm is ahead of his hands at present, but the most impressive asset for him defensively might be how intuitive he is in positioning himself and understanding the game situation in the moment. With his performance this summer, King showed that he’s not only ready to compete at the high Division I level but that he’s one of the best players at this level. 

USA CNT: A classic late bloomer, King graduated high school as an undersized infielder and ended up at Division II Wingate (N.C.). Over two years at Wingate, King grew a couple more inches, added muscle to his frame and raked along the way, which opened the door for him to transfer to Wake Forest this summer. King is a quick-twitch athlete who can play anywhere on the infield, but just as importantly, he’s an intelligent defensive player who has a knack for intuitively positioning himself based on the opposing batter at the plate and the game situation. His arm is ahead of his hands at present when it comes to his defensive tools. Offensively, he has a quick, line-drive stroke that he showed not only with the CNT but also on the Cape this summer, where he is among the league’s batting leaders. More than anything else, this summer has shown that King isn’t just ready to compete alongside power-conference Division players, but that he’s among the best of them and could be in for a big season in 2024. From a draft standpoint, although there is polish needed to the skills in his game, King has the quick-twitch athleticism that could land him in the first 100 picks or so.