Showstopper
ESPN The Magazine|April 10,2017

Corey Seager is driven by a fear of failure. So how did he become the leader of a new generation of superstar shortstops? One sweet swing at a time.

Robert Sanchez
Showstopper

THERE’S A HITTING area just off the weight room at the DODGERS’ spring training complex in Phoenix—seven netted batting tunnels with a roof and a long wall, fake turf and L-screens everywhere. At 8:30 on a chilly February morning, it’s a cave of activity. Catchers work on their pitch-framing at one end; at the other, hitters chat with coaches before taking hacks.

Then a ball explodes off a bat in Tunnel 4, and they all go quiet. A catcher steals a glance from his crouch. A hitter stops and stares. A couple of coaches line up along the netting behind home plate. Corey Seager, the 22-year-old All- Star shortstop and reigning National League rookie of the year, is putting in work.

His swing is already legendary around here; the efficiency with which Seager deploys his most lethal gift is profound. Power hitters are often famous for the violence of their swings, the high leg kicks and viciousness of force through the ball. Seager is the antithesis. There are no grand movements. His head is perfectly still, his back elbow perpendicular to his sinewy body. There’s a small toetap, a wide yawn of a step, a mass of controlled action ready to be unleashed forward. Seager’s left-handed swing is like the undercurrent of a river—liquid and beautiful and deceptively powerful, the source of its strength invisible to the naked eye.

Coach Shawn Wooten zips a ball underhand from behind a screen, and Seager pulls it toward a massive metal pole that’s holding up part of the roof. A resounding boonnnng echoes through the cave. Wooten zips another ball. Seager drills the pole again.

This story is from the April 10,2017 edition of ESPN The Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 10,2017 edition of ESPN The Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ESPN THE MAGAZINEView All
The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield
ESPN The Magazine

The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield

To be the world’s most famous athlete means Cristiano Ronaldo can appear on screens everywhere yet somehow elude the fallout from a rape allegation.

time-read
8 mins  |
April 2019
Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage
ESPN The Magazine

Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage

MMA is a violent and unforgiving sport. But instead of shielding her young daughter from her career, Michelle Waterson is bringing her along every step of the way.

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has

As Kyler Murray decides which sport will win his talents, at least one thing is clear: He owns his future in a way no other rookie has.

time-read
6 mins  |
March 2019
Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity
ESPN The Magazine

Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity

No eight-figure shoe deal? No problem. The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma walked his own path to sneaker supremacy.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2019
Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal
ESPN The Magazine

Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal

He’s baseball’s best-known face and now its richest player. In this exclusive interview, the All-Star talks rejecting $300 million, recruiting Mike Trout and becoming a Phillie for life.

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?

Sizable expectations? Kyler Murray’s got a few: go No. 1 in the draft, become a franchise player and—oh yeah— completely blow up decades of doctrine about short quarterbacks.

time-read
10+ mins  |
May 2019
Eternal Champions
ESPN The Magazine

Eternal Champions

Seven months ago, Brazilian underdogs Chapecoense boarded a plane to play in the game of their lives. Instead, their biggest moment turned into a tragedy no one can forget.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 26, 2017
What's In A Name?
ESPN The Magazine

What's In A Name?

With the founder of Bikram yoga facing assault allegations, it seems simple: Studios should distance themselves from his name. But it’s not so easy.

time-read
3 mins  |
June 04, 2018
One Formula For Change
ESPN The Magazine

One Formula For Change

To inject excitement back into its races, Formula One needs more than a tweak or new twist—it needs to correct its course.

time-read
2 mins  |
June 04, 2018
All About The Goals
ESPN The Magazine

All About The Goals

U.S. national team hero and Chicago Red Stars defensive midfielder Julie Ertz shares her secrets for keeping her world-champion mindset.

time-read
1 min  |
June 04, 2018