CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A familiar face for Charlotte-area sports fans is taking home one of baseball's highest honors for the second time in his career.
Corey Seager, the Texas Rangers shortstop, was awarded the World Series MVP award after his team defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks four games to one to win the franchise's first World Series. The clinching win came on Wednesday night in the form of a 5-0 shutout for the Rangers.
Seager hit .286 with three home runs, six RBIs, one double, three walks, and six runs scored during the World Series.
The Charlotte native had a clutch game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 1 for the Rangers, which Texas went on to win in the 11th inning.
Seager followed that up with another decisive two-run homer in Texas' 3-1 win in Game 3. Another two-run homer in Game 4 led the Rangers to an 11-7 win and all but solidified his MVP status.
It's the second World Series MVP award for Seager, who joins Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Reggie Jackson as the only players to be given the honor multiple times. Seager's first World Series MVP award came in 2020 when he guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the title over the Tampa Bay Rays. Coincidentally, the series was played remotely at the Rangers' Globe Life Field due to pandemic restrictions.
The Rangers signed Seager to a 10-year $325 million contract ahead of the 2022 season and were awarded with a World Series MVP performance.
During the postseason, Seager hit .318 with six home runs, six doubles, 12 RBIs, and 15 walks as he continued to dominate as the most important piece of the Rangers' potent offense.
Hometown legend
Before Seager was earning Hall of Fame-worthy accolades, he was a two-sport star for Northwest Cabarrus High School in Kannapolis. Seager played baseball and basketball for the Trojans and was the number one baseball recruit in the state by the time he graduated in 2012.
Segaer's high school coach, Joseph Hubbard, told WCNC Charlotte in 2020 that the Texas Rangers shortstop was an excellent leader on the team.
“He was a tremendous young man, a scholar athlete. Did well in the classroom, as well as outside the building. Just a quiet kid that went about his business. Didn't say a whole lot but led by example. He was such a tremendous teammate, and I think some of players that played with them would tell you we know he's the best thing on the field, but he doesn't make us feel that way. He makes us better,” Hubbard said.
Seager was born in Charlotte, according to MLB.com, before attending high school in Kannapolis. His brother, Kyle Seager, played 10 years in MLB with the Seattle Mariners from 2011 to 2021 after attending Northwest Cabarrus High School.