Seager adds 2nd World Series MVP to trophy case

Corey Seager’s timely hits earned him World Series MVP honors as the Texas Rangers won their first championship — and put him in some rare territory when it comes to American Legion Baseball alumni.

Seager became just the third World Series MVP — and first since 1968 — to win that award in the same year he was recognized as American Legion Baseball Graduate of the Year. Seager, who played American Legion Baseball for Post 115 in Kannapolis, N.C., officially received the Graduate of the Year Award before the Rangers’ game against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 16. That was the day after League City (Texas) Post 554 became the first team from Texas to ever win the American Legion World Series.

Most of that League City team was also on hand for what turned out to be the Rangers’ only loss of the 2023 World Series, a 9-1 Arizona Diamondbacks victory.

Seager joins Frank Robinson (Post 237/Pleasanton, Calif.) and Mickey Lolich (Post 102/Portland, Ore.) as major leaguers to win Graduate of the Year and World Series MVP in the same calendar year. Robinson was World Series MVP in 1966 as he led Baltimore to a sweep of the Dodgers, while Lolich was World Series MVP in 1968 as the last pitcher with three complete games in a World Series, helping Detroit rally from a 3-1 series deficit to win the title.

Each year The American Legion honors a former American Legion Baseball player who is currently playing in the Major Leagues for his character, leadership, playing abilities and community service. Individuals are recommended by their respective post.

This is Seager’s second World Series MVP after winning it with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. He’s just the fourth player to win multiple World Series MVP awards and just the second to do so with different teams.

Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson also each won two World Series MVP awards — Koufax with the Dodgers in 1963 and 1965, Gibson with the Cardinals in 1964 and 1967, and Jackson with the A’s in 1973 and the Yankees in 1977.

Gibson (Omaha, Neb.) and Jackson (Pennsylvania) also played Legion Baseball.

Seager finished the 2023 World Series batting .286 (6-of-21) with three home runs, a double, three walks, six RBIs and six runs scored. His two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning tied Game 1, which Texas went on to win in extra innings, and he hit another two-run homer in the Rangers’ 3-1 win in Game 3.

And in the Game 5 clincher, Seager broke up Zac Gallen’s no-hitter with a leadoff single in the seventh inning and scored the game’s first run on a single by Mitch Garver as Texas closed out the series with a 5-0 win.

Seager is also a Gold Glove Award finalist; those winners will be announced Nov. 5. He's also a Silver Slugger Award finalist; winners will be announced Nov. 9.