Washington Nationals select Wake Forest third baseman Seaver King in 2024 MLB Draft

Wake Forest third baseman and former Div. II star Seaver King has been selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, going to the Washington Nationals with the No. 10 pick of the first round.

A superstar back at Wingate University, King’s rise through Wake Forest and now to the professional rank has been meteoric since his humble collegiate beginnings. King spent two seasons at Wingate and cut up the competition in his second season, achieving a remarkable 47-game hit streak while slashing a .411/.457/.699 batting line.

Try Fubo for FREE today and don’t miss any of the action!

Of course, those numbers caught the eye of Div. I programs in the 2023 offseason, including a College World Series participant from that summer, Wake Forest, who was able to land the coveted D-II riser.

With the Demon Deacons, King may have hit 100 points less at the plate, but he still flourished, posting a .308 batting average for the year while hitting 16 home runs. He even made Third-Team All-ACC and was a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Award given to the nation’s top player each year (Georgia’s Charlie Condon won it in 2024).

What MLB experts are saying about Seaver King

The folks at MLB.com broke down hundreds of prospects prior to the draft and wrote out full draft profiles for many of them, including King. When it came to the Wake Forest star, their evaluators had to say:

“King excels at putting the ball in play with a compact right-handed stroke geared for hitting line drives to all fields. He needs to improve his plate discipline, however, because he swings and chases too much, making a lot of weak contact and cutting into his walk totals. While he has added 20 pounds since arriving in college and has impressive bat speed, his approach and flat stroke may not be conducive to more than 12-15 homers per year.

“With well above-average speed and solid arm strength, King is a versatile defender. He opened this season as a center fielder before settling in at third base, also seeing action at shortstop and second base. He’d have the most pro value at shortstop, though he’s merely average there and would need to polish up his actions and throwing accuracy. He’s solid at the other spots and may fit best in the outfield because his hands are just OK.”

Sounds like King could be a bit of a positional nomad at the start of his pro career, but his time at both schools showcased an ability to perform in the infield or outfield.