Anfernee Seymour’s Second Miami Marlins Hitch

Bahamian native Anfernee Seymour took a detour through the Atlanta Braves system before making his way to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in 2018.

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 191 of 286. For the first 100, click here.

Anfernee J’Nero Seymour, who you can follow on Twitter @a_sey2, is a 5’11”, 165 lb. outfielder from Nassau, Bahamas. Nassau has produced five major leaguers through history, most notably shortstop Andre Rodgers (1957-1967, New York/San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates).

Seymour was born on June 24th, 1995, and was drafted out of American Heritage HS in Delray Beach, Florida in the seventh round of the 2014 MLB Amateur Entry Draft. Seven players chosen as Seymour was, with the 197th overall choice, have gone on to reach the major leagues. None of them, however, have completed their major league careers with a positive WAR. Former Miami Marlins catcher Terry McGriff is also part of the “197 Club.”

After coming to terms with the Miami Marlins for a $400,000 bonus, Seymour was sent to the rookie-level, Florida-based GCL Marlins, in the Gulf Coast League. In 26 contests, including 19 in center field (.944 fPct) and seven at shortstop (.840 fPct), he slashed .245/.333/.265 with 11 stolen bases in 13 tries. Here he is with Batavia in 2015, courtesy of Moore Baseball.

Seymour led the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League with 29 stolen bases in 35 attempts. He also slashed .273/.338/.349 over a club-second 64 games, with 14 RBI. Defensively, he played the entire season at shortstop, and finished with a 19th-century worthy .899 fielding percentage. He was also named to the NYPL midseason All-Star team.

Seymour stands out for his elite athleticism and game-changing speed, which scouts grade as an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale, where 50 is average. A switch-hitter, his short, quick swing enables him to make a lot of contact, although power will never be part of his game. Always a threat to steal, Seymour finished second in the New York-Penn League last season with 29 stolen bases, and he’s already blown past that total this year in his full-season debut for Class A Greensboro. – MLB Pipeline

Despite Seymour’s defensive struggles, he opened the 2016 season ranked as the Miami Marlins number 13 prospect. While part of the single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers in the South Atlantic League, he was again tried at shortstop, and posted a .921 fielding percentage. In 104 games, he stole 37 bases in 50 attempts, and slashed .255/295/.308. On August 6th, the Marlins traded Seymour with Michael Mader to the Atlanta Braves for Hunter Cervenka.

Seymour remained in the Braves organization for the next 21 months, and spent most of that time in center field. He’s fielded at a .942 clip at the eight spot. Despite opening 2018 as the Braves’ number 25 prospect, they eventually released him on May 6th.

On May 10th, the Miami Marlins resigned Seymour to a minor league deal and sent him to the high-A Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League. In his first game back, he collected a single and a solo home run in an 8-4 loss to the Charlotte Stone Crabs.

Through his first two weeks back in the Marlins organization, Seymour went 17-for-49 with two homers, six RBI, and four stolen bases, liberally appearing at all three outfield positions. On June 3rd, he was promoted to the double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the Southern League.

In seven games at the new level, Seymour went 0-for-8 with a pair of walks, then was sent back down to Jupiter. For the week from July 17th through July 23rd, he was nine-for-24 with a double, a triple, a homer, five RBI and a pair of stolen bases.

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• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 1

Seymour was again promoted to the Shrimp on August 11th, where he performed much better than the first time. He went 13-for-43 with another homer, five RBI, and four stolen bases through the last 18 games of the season.

In 18 of Seymour’s 76 appearances in the Marlins’ system, he collected multiple hits including four with three or more. On August 28th, he hit a season-high four hits, with three singles, a double, two RBI, and a run scored in a 9-2 win against the Chattanooga Lookouts.

After hitting just .195 with the Florida Fire Frogs, Seymour put up a .278 mark after rejoining the Marlins system. He made four errors in the outfield in 98 chances for a .959 fielding percentage.

Seymour is set to join the Don’t Blink 242 Home Run Derby in Paradise, on January 5th.

Seymour is still rostered with Jacksonville, and should start the 2019 season there. With a few good months, he’ll likely find himself promoted to the triple-A New Orleans Baby Cakes in the Pacific Coast League.

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