Scott Sebald: Miami Marlins Lefty Reliever Rising

Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 138 of 286. For the first 100, click here.

Scott Sebald is a 6’5″, 230 lb. left-handed pitcher from Cincinnati, Ohio. Born on June 16th, 1994, Sebald went undrafted out of Lindsey Wilson College, in Columbia, Kentucky.

Sebald eventally signed with the Texas Rangers through free agency, and split his first professional season between the rookie-level Arizona Rangers, in the Arizona League and the Spokane Indians, in the short-season-A Northwest League. Follow Sebald on Twitter @ScottSebald.

In 14 games, including 11 starts in 2016, Sebald went 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA for the Rangers system. He struck out 34 in only 31 innings, with a 1.26 WHIP. Just after the start of the 2017 season, the Rangers cut Sebald loose, granting his free agency on April 7th. Here’s Sebald with the Cincinnati Steam, in 2014.

In 2017, Sebald played for both the Lancaster Barnstormers in the Atlantic League and the Normal CornBelters, in the Frontier League. In 22 games for Normal, where he spent most of the season, Sebald was 9-2 with a 2.89, starting 15 games and whiffing 87 in 109 innings. He finished the year with a solid 1.22 WHIP.

Remaining with Normal to begin 2018, Sebald was 3-2 with a 3.30 ERA in five starts for the CornBelters. On June 19th, the Miami Marlins signed him through free agency.

After signing, Sebald joined the rookie-level, Florida-based, Gulf Coast League, with the GCL Marlins. In his first appearance, two days after signing, he whiffed five in 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits and zero walks. After that unqualified success, the Miami Marlins promoted Sebald to the single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, in the South Atlantic League.

For the Hoppers, Sebald started five games and appeared five other times in relief. His time in Greensboro can be easily divided. Through his first four games, all starts, he allowed 20 hits in 16 2/3 innings, with 12 strikeouts and 16 runs allowed.

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After moving to the bullpen (less one more start later on), Sebald was a different pitcher. Opponents hit just .128/.292/.179 against him over his final six games of the season. He whiffed 12 in 11 1/3 innings, and surrendered three earned runs on five hits and eight walks. On July 26th, in a spot-start, Sebald struck out five and allowed two runs on two hits and zero walks, collecting the win in a 6-2 victory against the Lakewood BlueClaws. On August 4th, he struck out three in an inning of near-perfect work in a 5-2 loss to the Kannapolis Intimidators. (Luis Curbelo reached first on a Will Allen passed ball).

When the Miami Marlins changed their single-A affiliate over to the Midwest League’s Clinton LumberKings, Sebald went with them. He’s likely to start the season in Iowa, but could soon move up to the Jupiter Hammerheads, in the high-A Florida State League. He’s already 24-years-old, so with strong performance could be moved quickly. Best case scenario, he’s in the mix for a Miami Marlins roster spot in 2021.

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Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 138 of 286. For the first 100, click here.

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