Seth Romero

Seth Daniel Romero

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 3", Weight 240 lb.
• School University of Houston
• High School Columbia High School (West Columbia, TX)
• Debut August 13, 2020
• Final Game August 22, 2020
• Born April 19, 1996 in West Columbia, TX USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Seth Romero was picked by the Washington Nationals in the the 1st round of the 2017 amateur draft with the 25th overall selection, out of the University of Houston. He had been a freshman All-American, then had a solid sophomore season, going 6-4, 2.29 with 113 strikeouts in 94 1/3 innings. As a junior in 2017, he was 4-5, 3.51 with 85 Ks in 48 2/3 inning, but he was kicked off the baseball team on May 10th after a series of off-field issues. He had just been reinstated from his second suspension in two years before he apparently was involved in a fight with another player. Among the issues mentioned by reporters were lack of effort regarding conditioning, failing a test for recreational drugs, and appearing on a picture in the team's uniform holding some drug paraphernalia. Talent-wise, he would normally have been a top-10 selection, but the off-field issues led a number of teams to pass on him. He received a $2.8 million bonus from the Nationals, a team that had traditionally shied away from players with character issues. However, the fact he was represented by agent Scott Boras, with whom the Nats had had a positive relationship over the years, had likely tipped the balance in Seth's favor.

He made his professional debut in 2017 between the GCL Nationals and the Auburn Doubledays, going 0-1, 4.91 in 7 starts, pitching a total of 22 innings during which he struck out 35 opponents. The Nationals deliberately were keeping his workload light that first year, but still invited him to spring training in 2018. He arrived there ranked as the #76 prospect in baseball, according to Baseball Prospectus, and #5 in the organization according to mlb.com, but he did not endear himself to his new employers as he was sent home on March 5th for violating team policies. It was not clear what exactly he had done and how long the punishment was for, but it was definitely a black mark for someone who should have been trying to make a positive first impression. A day later, news leaked that what had irked management was that Romero had broken the team's curfew.

Further Reading

• Chelsea Janes: "The Nationals typically pass on players with off-field issues. Seth Romero is an exception.", The Washington Post, September 18, 2018. [1]

Related Sites

• Seth Romero on mlb.com
• BR Minors page