Rays announce first baseman Bob Seymour Has been released to pursue opportunities in Asia. No details were provided about which team or country he would be heading to. He has been taken off the 40-man roster since he was designated for assignment last week.
Seymour, 27, has spent his entire career to date with the Rays. A 13th-round pick in the 2021 draft, he has hit a home run but also struck out multiple times during his minor league career. In 2024, he threw 28 deep balls in 123 games at Double-A and Triple-A. He posted a 139 wRC+ with a .281/.351/.523 line, but he also struck out on 30.6% of his plate appearances. In 2025, he hit 30 homers in 105 Triple-A games. He had a .263/.327/.553 line and a 122 wRC+ while striking out at a 25.7% rate.
He was called up in mid-August and spent the final six weeks of the season in the majors. He reached base 83 times but struck out 32 of them, at a 38.6% clip, resulting in a rough .205/.253/.282 line.
Despite his obvious power, Seymour was never really listed as a rising star to watch. He only plays first base and doesn’t have a wheel, which means he has to hit to provide value. Considering how often he gets outs, it’s hard for him to be a viable major league bat.
He still has many options. Even if he’s claimed off waivers after being designated for assignment this week, he’s likely destined to sit out another year in Triple-A. Instead, he’ll head somewhere overseas, presumably for a higher salary and better opportunities. If he succeeds wherever he goes, maybe he’ll return to North America one day.
Photos by Darren Yamashita, Image Images
