Nationals use top-10 pick on player with best name in MLB Draft
May 12, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A detailed view of the Washington Nationals logo on a weighted bat during the seventh inning of the game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Mets at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
Juan Soto’s current team may have a Judge, but now his former team has a King.
The Washington Nationals went viral on Sunday over their first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Washington selected shortstop Seaver King out of Wake Forest with the No. 10 overall pick.
With the tenth pick of the 2024 #MLBDraft, the @Nationals select SS Seaver King from Wake Forest. pic.twitter.com/y2rZppl7z7
— MLB (@MLB) July 15, 2024
Fans were loving the pick because of King’s tremendous name. Many on social media pointed out just how much aura that name had.
That is a SICK baseball name https://t.co/FV6BSRVVFT
— Max Mannis (@MaxMannis) July 15, 2024
seaver king is such a cool name, valid pick
— Explaining the Cubs (@explaincubs) July 15, 2024
Has there ever been a better baseball name than Seaver King? https://t.co/8tlgyVQq34
— Joe Orrico (@JoeOrrico99) July 15, 2024
this is a GREAT baseball name https://t.co/37Wo2DCz7t
— shaefer (@VasChordum) July 15, 2024
The righty-hitting King, 21, is a superb talent beyond just his name too. He began his collegiate career at Wingate University and produced one of the longest hitting streaks in D2 history at 47 games. King then transferred to Wake Forest before his junior year and hit .308 with a .954 OPS last season on the strength of 16 homers, 64 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases over 60 games.
But that cool name had many thinking back to late Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, who is a great figure to take inspiration from. The NL East division is also clearly a magnet for ballplayers with fantastic names.