For much, if not the entire 2016 season, rookie shortstop Corey Seager was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ best player. He began the year as the consensus top-rated prospect in baseball, and the odds-on favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
The 22-year-old did not nothing but validate the accolades he received prior to Opening Day. They certainly were well-deserved, as Seager hit a blistering .337/.425/.561 with eight doubles, one triple, four home runs and 17 RBI over 27 games last September.
Seager’s call-up and Major League debut led to him usurping Jimmy Rollins as the club’s everyday shortstop.
When Seager was in the lineup for Game 1 of the 2015 NL Division Series, he became the youngest position player to start a postseason game in Dodgers history.
There were expected growing pains against the New York Mets. With that experience under his belt, Seager felt more confident and comfortable heading into this postseason. There were flashes of brilliance and futility.
After the Dodgers were eliminated by the Chicago Cubs in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series, Seager acknowledged fatigue set in, per David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports Radio:
Corey Seager said he doesn't have an injury to one specific area. Said it was fatigue of playing more pro games than he ever has before.
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) October 23, 2016
Seager hit .308/.365/.512 with 40 doubles, 26 home runs and 72 RBI in 157 games. He spent the majority of that time batting second or third in the Dodgers’ lineup. Seager set Dodgers rookie records for hits, doubles, runs scored and total bases.
Over 11 postseason games, he hit .205/.255/.364 with one double, two home runs, four RBI, two walks and 13 strikeouts. Seager hit safely in three of six NLCS games, with a pair of multi-hit games.
