Corey Seager's Success in Spring Training Bodes Well for 2023 MLB Campaign
Don't let anyone fool you, Spring Training performances do matter. While the record at the end of the spring holds almost zero value when the regular season rolls around, individual performances absolutely do.
Even to the superstars.
Shortstop Corey Seager is one of those stars who has been lighting it up this spring, much to the Texas Rangers' delight.
Seager is coming off of his first MLB campaign with the Rangers in which he slashed .245/.317/.455 with 33 home runs and a 133 OPS+. It wasn't a poor performance by any measure, but it was a far cry from his career average production.
It's not uncommon that when a player makes a change to a new team and environment that an adjustment period will take place. At least that was the narrative that surrounded Seager's performance last season.
Seager shared as much himself last month.
“Absolutely,” he said. “The biggest learning curve [last year] was just that everything was new. New organization. New people. New living situations. All those aspects come into it.”
This spring he is flipping the narrative.
Over the course of 10 games in Cactus League play this spring, Seager is slashing .522/.577/.957 with three home runs. It's an absurd level of production that is not sustainable, but it does show that Seager has taken the next step forward.
The shortstop seems more comfortable at the plate, appears to be at home in the dugout and clubhouse, and looks like he is having more fun on the field. All of those factor into a much better mental state which in turn translates to a higher level of production at the plate.
Texas has lofty goals of making the postseason in 2023. With an expanded playoff format they have a better chance of doing so now than they have in recent seasons. Couple that with their revamped starting rotation and anything becomes possible, despite what the calculated predictions say.
Seager returning to All-Star form is perhaps the biggest piece of the puzzle when it comes to the Rangers performing to their standards.
If this spring is any indicator, then Seager appears to have rounded a corner and is primed for a hugely successful 2023 MLB season.
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