The New York Yankees drafted the most interesting prospect in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft on Monday when they selected Anthony Seigler with the 23rd overall selection.
Seigler, 18, is Swiss Army knife of a player. The Cartersville, Ga., prospect is a switch-hitting catcher and a switch-throwing pitcher. He plays the infield and the outfield, is solid defensively and at the plate and has been both a starter and a closer.
The ambidextrous star throws in the high 80s with both arms, but he is expected to give up the mound for catching.
Fellow Georgia prep product Will Banfield has louder defensive tools, but Seigler is solid behind the plate, a better hitter and played ahead of him on the U.S. national team that won the 18-and-under World Cup last September. He’s agile behind the plate, has a quick transfer that helps his arm play as plus at times and shows promise as a receiver and pitch framer. He’s more athletic than most catchers, along the lines of Austin Barnes, and could profile as an everyday second baseman as well.
Seigler makes consistent hard contact from both sides of the plate and employs an all-fields approach. There’s some question as to how much power he’ll have, but he has solid bat speed and should provide at least double-digit home run production once he gets stronger. The Florida recruit has close to average speed, making him quick for a catcher, and shows good instincts in all phases of the game.Â
Seigler can do it all, and if he lives up to his promise then the Bronx Bombers will have a franchise backstop for the foreseeable future.
