Atlanta Braves Trade Hunter Cervenka
By Fred Owens
Anfernee Seymour
The Marlins selected Seymour in the seventh round of the 2014 draft. A native of the Bahamas the 5‘11’’, 165 pound shortstop moved to Florida and attended American Heritage High in South Florida. Following the draft he played 26 games in the Gulf Coast League posting a .245/.333/.265/.599 line and stole 11 bases in 13 attempts. Defensively he split time between center field (19 games) and shortstop (7 games). BA ranked him the Marlins #21 prospect following that season right behind Mader.
In 2015 he moved to Low A Bativia where the Marlins moved him exclusively to shortstop. In 61 games for Bativia he posted a .273/.33//.349/687 line striking out 52 times, walking 20 and stealing 29 bases in 35 attempts prompting BA to bump him up to #11 on the Marlins prospect list. Their scouting report ($) explains why.
". . . Seymour earns 80 grades on the 20-80 scouting scale for his speed. . .and has disruptive in-game speed. Seymour stole 29 bases in 64 games . . .2015 to rank second in the New York-Penn League. . .(he) uses a slashing hitting style and projects to have far below-average power with a tick below-average hitting ability. He’ll need to rely on his legs to become a top-of-the-order threat , , , At shortstop, he shows good range and a solid-average arm, but his throwing accuracy regressed in 2015 because he tended to rush his throws. Scouts believe Seymour can stick at shortstop, but he might be more reliable at second base. . ."
This season he moved to Greenville (A) where he’s played in 103 games posting a .252/.293/.306/.598 line striking out 98 times, walking just 22 and stealing 36 bases in 48 attempts.
Here’s a look at Seymour hitting a double against Rome back on June 16th,
That’s A Wrap
Neither Mader or Seymour is going to break into the Braves stacked prospect list. Seymour has tons of speed but his bat looks a little thin but he’s only 21 and has time to improve that.
Mader seems to have the highest ceiling of the two based only on what I’m read about them today and that’s as a backend starter. Still that’s the kind of projection Kris Medlen got as a tenth round draft pick and he didn’t do badly.
The Braves have once again turned a player they got from the independent league for nothing into two prospects. Some will pan this trade because Cervenka was inexpensive and effective while the prospects are in the low-level category I suggest a deep breath and a step back.
Next: What's the latest wire buzz?
Without minimizing Cervenka’s contribution this year, he’s 26 years old and what you see is what you get. Admittedly that was a pretty good product but in reality he’s very replaceable. Matt Marksberry is improving, Paco Rodriguez will be back next spring, Manny Banuelos is looking more like a relief pitcher with every injury and others will emerge as time goes on.
On another note the Braves confirmed that Roberto Hernandez a.k.a Fausto Carmona is starting tonight. No roster move is needed since Cervenka was traded and Hernandez takes his spot,
More trades could happen at any time (someone take JJ and Aybar please) and when they do we’ll give you the details here at the Take.