The Rays are planning to call up first base prospect Bob Seymour from Triple-A Durham prior to Friday’s game, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Since Seymour isn’t on the 40-man roster, Tampa Bay will have to make at least one corresponding move to create space on both the 40-man and 26-man rosters.
The 26-year-old Seymour will be making his MLB debut whenever he appears in his first game. A 13th-round pick for the Rays in the 2021 draft, Seymour has been productive at every level of the minor league ladder, including big numbers in Durham in each of the last two seasons. Seymour has hit .263/.327/.553 with 30 home runs over 443 PA at Triple-A this year, and his 30 homers lead the International League. Just this past Tuesday, Seymour highlighted his huge year with a three-homer game against Triple-A Nashville.
As evidenced by his 89 homers over 1736 career PA (and 410 games) in the minor leagues, there’s a lot of pop in Seymour’s bat. There was also a lot of swing-and-miss, though Seymour has significantly reduced his strikeout rate from 34.9% in 2024 (in 218 PA with Durham) to 25.7% over his 443 PA this season. He also enjoyed some inflated BABIPs in past seasons, yet a more neutral .292 BABIP in 2025 indicates that the first baseman isn’t just relying on a lot of good fortune.
Despite all this power, neither MLB.com or Baseball America list Seymour among the top 30 prospects in Tampa’s farm system. It seems as though Seymour is viewed in limited terms as a first base-only player who has only big power and hard-contact skills as calling cards, yet evaluators may doubt that those abilities can translate into production against Major League pitching.
Still, it’s hard to argue that Seymour’s big 2025 campaign hasn’t earned him at least a look in the Show. Seymour is a left-handed hitter who could replace Jonathan Aranda in the lineup to some extent, playing mostly as a designated hitter since Yandy Diaz is locked in at first base. Aranda is one of five Rays position players on the injured list, so with Tampa Bay a little thin on the bench, there are worse ideas than calling up a 30-homer slugger.
Almost 27 yrs old
finally made the show
congrats
Excellent non athlete name
“… and Bob’s your uncle!”
Second Seymour seen debuting with the Rays this year!
Reminds me of the guy that came up with the idea of the miniskirt:
“Seymour Hiney”
The name and face of the type of guy who would be an absolute legend in your local men’s softball league
It’s great to see a ‘Bob’ again!!!!
Right up there with Richard Fitts.
I will miss seeing him in Durham, but he definitely deserves the opportunity.
Agree. We have a fun team to watch and he was a thumper people love to see but it’s so well earned.
I just wish it would stop raining on game nights!
Bob! Bob! Bob!
Interesting to see a Gen Z guy named Bob.
I’m going to get a change.org petition going to get the Rays broadcast to start calling him Booch Seymore.
My man looks like a beer league softball MVP. Excited to hear a Rays broadcast say, ‘Booch, with a blast, deep right field, all the way back, and gone, number 2 on the day for Booch Seymore, and the Rays trail 9-7 here in the 4th.’
Curtis mead could’ve finally had playing time
Someone get Jon Bois on the phone. We’re back
New Bob Hamelin just dropped
Surely we’ll Seymour butts in the seats now!
who was the last Bob in the MLB? excluding Bobby Witt Jr.
Bob Howry last pitched in 2010 for the Cubs
Bob Powell
THE BOBS ARE BACK
We’ll Seymour Bob from this point forward
What about Bob?
Promoted from 1983 with that name.