Seaver King is starting to look a lot less like a speed-and-defense guy and a lot more like a legitimate power threat.
The Nationals’ No. 4 prospect put on another show Thursday night, homering for the fourth straight game and then launching yet another shot in Triple-A Rochester’s 13-3 win over Omaha at Werner Park. It was his second multihomer game as a professional, and it capped a huge night in which he piled up a career-best four hits and six RBIs.
King’s power surge has been impossible to miss. He has now gone deep six times in his last six games, matching the home run total he had before this stretch began. In the process, he’s nearly doubled last year’s homer output and pushed his season total to 13 in 50 games for Rochester, 18 overall.
The 23-year-old’s latest outburst started with an RBI single in the second inning, then he kept punishing the ball from there. For a player who was known coming out of the 2024 Draft for his athleticism, speed and defensive versatility, the sudden extra pop is changing the conversation fast.
"I'm just trying to get back to the way I was before [the injury]," King said. "I was on a little downward slope when I got hurt, so in that sense, it was a great time to reset, refocus and get back to my routine."
That reset came after a left oblique strain knocked him out for most of last month, limiting him to just three games. Since returning, King has been one of the hottest hitters in the minors this month, and the results are showing up across the board. His first-base hit Thursday extended his hitting streak to 11 games, and he has now reached safely in 13 of 15 games this month while hitting .391/.473/.797 with 10 extra-base hits, 19 runs and 15 RBIs.
There’s more to the surge than just home runs, too. King has been making cleaner swing decisions, and the numbers back that up. The improved walk and strikeout rates are a good sign that this isn’t just a hot streak built on noise.
Selected 10th overall out of Wake Forest in the 2024 Draft, King moved quickly through the system because of his polish and college experience. But last season was a grind. He reached Double-A Harrisburg in June 2025 and hit .244 with a .631 OPS and 88 wRC+ across two Minor League levels.
"I learned a lot last season, especially the 'do's and don'ts'," King admitted. "I got caught up a bit in chasing results instead of going out there and just competing. It was obviously a struggle, but I learned so much from it."
This year has looked much different. King opened the season back in Harrisburg and hit .336/.427/.562 with five homers and five stolen bases in 35 games before earning the bump to Rochester.
Across 85 games, he now leads all Nationals minor leaguers with a .325 average, .565 slugging percentage and .970 OPS, and he ranks second in the organization with a .405 OBP. He’s also one of seven players who have hit at least eight homers this month.
In Other News...
Nationals Pitching Did Enough But A Familiar Problem Ruined It
Andrew Alvarez gave the Nationals a start they could live with, and the bullpen backed it up well enough to keep the game within reach in Texas. Against a Rangers lineup that can punish mistakes, Washingtons pitchers did their part for much of the night, but Jacob deGrom made the difference for the home club and left the Nationals with very little margin for error.
The problem, as so often has been the case, was offense. Washington could not put together much against deGrom or the Rangers staff, and the lack of run support wasted a respectable effort on the mound. Blake Butera pointed to deGroms ability and noted the bullpens recent improvement, but the bigger concern for the Nationals remains the same familiar one: until the lineup starts giving its pitchers something to work with, nights like this will keep ending the same way. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Suddenly Have A CJ Abrams Question They Cant Ignore
CJ Abrams availability suddenly became a real concern after the Nationals shortstop rolled his left ankle stepping on second base against the Rangers and missed the next game. Manager Blake Butera said Abrams has a sprained ankle and is considered day to day, which at least leaves Washington with some hope this is a short-term issue rather than something that lingers into a bigger absence.
The next step is the medical check, with Abrams set to see the team physician and possibly go through imaging as the Nationals try to sort out how much time he might lose. If he avoids the injured list, Washington could have a workaround ready in the form of designated hitter duty before he returns to the field, but for now the club is waiting to find out how the ankle responds. [Read more 🡒]
Seaver King Is Making The Nationals Answer A Tough Question
Seaver King has done the part that usually forces a front office to get uncomfortable. Since coming back from an oblique strain, the Nationals prospect has been swinging it well at Triple-A Rochester, piling up six home runs over 49 games and keeping his batting average in a strong place while showing the kind of bat-to-ball skill that tends to accelerate a timeline.
Even so, Washington is approaching the decision with patience, and that is where the tension sits. The club would rather give King more time in Rochester and more professional reps before asking him to take the next step, a cautious stance that reflects both his limited experience and the organizations long-term view. For a prospect performing this well, though, every productive week only makes the question harder to avoid. [Read more 🡒]