New Mariners Hitting Coach Has High Praise For Julio Rodriguez, Compares Him to Ronald Acuna Jr.
Earlier this week, the Seattle Mariners officially announced former big leaguer Kevin Seitzer as their newest hitting coach. Seitzer comes to Seattle by way of Atlanta, where he worked with the Braves for nearly a decade in the same capacity.
Seitzer helped Atlanta win the 2021 World Series and also helped develop Braves stars like Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson.
One of the biggest keys for Seitzer in Seattle will be trying to develop superstar Julio Rodriguez, who put together an up-and-down year in 2024. Though he hit .273 with 20 homers, both respectable marks, Rodriguez faced huge bouts of inconsistency throughout the season. He also dealt with a serious ankle injury that kept him out of action for nearly a month.
Speaking this week on the "Foul Territory TV" show, Seitzer compared Rodriguez to Acuna Jr., saying that he's excited to work with the former. He also said that he thinks that Rodriguez is every bit as special as Acuna Jr. was coming up. Acuna Jr. won the National League MVP Award in 2023.
New @Mariners hitting coach Kevin Seitzer shares what he's seen in @JRODshow44 🔥
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) November 26, 2024
Seitzer says he feels Julio is as special as @ronaldacunajr24, and is excited to work with him. pic.twitter.com/EbdoM263v1
A three-year veteran, Rodriguez is already a two-time All-Star. He hit 32 homers in 2023 and brought in 103 runs. However, his WAR has decreased substantially each year as his strikeout issues have remained persistent and his walk-rate has continued to struggle.
Getting him going from day one will be a huge key for the M's, who are hoping to win the American League West for the first time since 2001. The team is an entirely different group when Rodriguez is going well.
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