The Rockies are releasing right-hander Connor Seabold, per Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. In doing so, they’ll open a spot on their 40-man roster to make a selection in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
Seabold, 27, was a third-round pick of the Phillies back in 2017 and has twice been traded — first to the Red Sox as part of the deal bringing Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree to Philadelphia, and second to the Rockies last winter in exchange for cash.
Earlier in his professional tenure, Seabold ranked among the top pitching prospects in both the Phillies and Red Sox systems, but elbow and forearm injuries shortened his 2021 and 2022 seasons. Seabold came to the Rockies with a solid track record in the upper minors, but his lone season with the Rox proved nightmarish both in Colorado and with their Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque.
Seabold started 13 games and made another 14 relief appearances with Colorado this past season but was tagged for a gruesome 7.52 ERA in the process. He posted a sharp 6.9% walk rate but struggled with a well below-average 16.4% strikeout rate and a sky-high 1.96 HR/9. Seabold’s status as a pronounced fly-ball pitcher did him no favors at Coors Field, and he allowed hard contact a fair bit more often than the average big league pitcher (40.5%). Things didn’t go any better in Triple-A, where Seabold posted a 7.47 ERA in 31 2/3 frames.
As recently as 2022, Seabold tossed 86 2/3 innings of 3.32 ERA ball with Triple-A Worcester in the Sox’ system, striking out 24.7% of his opponents against an excellent 5.3% walk rate. However, he’s also out of minor league options, so the Rox would’ve needed to carry Seabold on the Opening Day roster or else trade him, expose him to waivers or (as they’ll apparently do today) release him. Once he formally becomes a free agent, Seabold will be able to explore minor league deals with other organizations and perhaps gauge interest from teams in Japan and South Korea.
Bring him back to Philly…..
Give Cotham a shot.
poet – I still remember all the Bloom suckups fawning all over this guy, saying how great he was. In time the truth always comes out.
I hear ya, but it might be nice to get ANYTHING good from that trade.
Workman and Hembree actually COST the Phils games after that deal and Pivetta was never going to be successful in Philly. So why not make Seabold II into a 7th inning guy … or try at least?
If the Rockies stick to their usual pattern, they will be drafting a pitcher and trading him for cash before the draft is complete.
Seems like a perfect fit for the Ray’s. Has good control and movement but his stuff is underwhelming.
I wouldn’t mind the Twins giving him a minor league deal to see how he looks in spring training.
That trade was awful. Hembree and Workman couldn’t get the league of their own girls out
Looks like they took a Venezuelan pitcher about to turn 22 who doesn’t walk many and was so-so in AA and AAA for the Rays last year.
Worth a shot for a team that won’t be contending next season. Maybe he’ll retain some Rays pitching magic.
Worked for German. And Jason Hammel as well.
At 27 years old, he’s worth another look, especially with a revamped pitching coaches for the Sox. Low risk, high reward.
Jewell, that opens a spot for Abad and Chance.