AFL (Arizona Fall League) Prospect Seaver King of the Washington Nationals has been showing some good fundamental MLB qualities in the first two weeks. Yes, it is only a small sampling so far, but it is play against other top prospects and points to his future potential. In fact, he is exhibiting that he is close to being MLB-ready.

Excellent Statistics

As of this writing, King has put up excellent statistics in the AFL. He has appeared in seven games and has a .419 batting average. Within those games, he has five doubles, 12 runs scored, and 15 RBIs, including a four-hit, three-RBI game this past Wednesday. The shortstop has also shown off his range and solid arm strength. King made some excellent stops with that range and has started four double plays.

Needed More Seasoning

For the 2025 season, he was with both Single-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg. King struggled at Double-A and hit just .233 in 326 at-bats. His slugging was a dismal .313, and he had 74 strikeouts. The organization felt if he had more games to play, he could work on his hitting. That was when they decided to let him play in the AFL.

Highly Touted

AFL (Arizona Fall League) Prospect Seaver King is a highly touted player—even with his slugging issues in Double-A. The Nationals drafted him with the 10th overall pick of the 2024 MLB draft. With his compact right-handed swing, he has displayed that he can put the ball all around the field. A former high jumper in high school, King is a first-rate athlete and an exceptional runner. He showed that speed this past season with 30 stolen bases.

Super Utility Player

The Nationals already have an excellent young shortstop, CJ Abrams. It is possible King could see more action in the AFL at second or third base. Although he’s only played shortstop in professional baseball, he played multiple positions in college and in the Cape Cod League, including the outfield. Being an excellent athlete, however, if the Nationals decide to try him at various positions, they feel confident he can succeed.

New Manager

The Nationals will have a new manager for the 2026 season. Dave Martinez was let go last season after 90 games. Interim manager Miguel Cario is not being retained as the team seeks a young analytics manager. That could benefit a player like King. If he does well in the AFL, he could be invited to Spring Training 2026.

Overall 2025

Overall, King’s 2025 did not go the way he or the Nationals coaches and scouts hoped it would. But there were also bright spots in his play. That should have everyone, including King himself, at least cautiously optimistic entering 2026. If he can demonstrate his ability to play multiple positions in the AFL and/or Spring Training and continues getting his hitting under control, he certainly has a chance to earn a roster spot with the big-league club. An opening day roster spot could come down to a choice between King and a veteran, with King assigned to the minors. However, with his current play and his potential, he could easily be called up for his MLB debut early in the season.

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