Seaver King’s 2026 breakout has officially reached the postseason.
The Nationals’ No. 4 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 68 prospect overall put together three hits, including a home run, in Game 1 of the International League Finals for Triple-A Rochester. King’s big night aided a 4-3 victory for the Red Wings over Memphis at AutoZone Park.
King reached on a broken-bat grounder in the first inning that had eyes for the outfield. He roped a 96.6 mph liner to the opposite field in the third, and it hopped over the fence for an automatic double. King’s third knock was his long ball, a 382-foot, 104.2-mph solo shot to left field that gave Rochester a 2-1 lead in the fifth.
The 10th overall pick in 2024, King wrapped up this year’s regular season as the leader in batting average (.303) and OPS (.898) among Nationals full-season Minor Leaguers. The 23-year-old shortstop also tagged a career-best 21 homers across two levels, easily clearing the six he put up last season.
It appears King is hot at the right time, too. His three-hit night in Game 1 of the International League Finals extended a streak of multiple hits in seven of his past 11 games, dating back to the regular season.
COMPLETE NATIONALS PROSPECT COVERAGE
A Wake Forest product, King struggled to put it all together in his first taste of professional baseball in 2025. He hit the ball on the ground often and chased outside of the zone far too frequently.
Evidenced by a good year in the power department (and at the plate overall), King has rediscovered what made him such a highly touted amateur. King's 70-grade speed is also a threat, though he followed up 30 stolen bases a year ago with just 15 this year (he did battle an oblique strain earlier in the season).
Add in a strong arm defensively, and King’s overall profile makes him an intriguing piece of the big league Nationals’ future, whether at shortstop or potentially third base or center field, the latter two of which he played with Wake Forest.