Seager collects four hits, four RBIs

They aren't the Molinas or Uptons or Drews just yet, but if all goes according to plan, the Seagers might be the next set of baseball brothers to make an impact at the Major League level.

This summer, 21-year-old Justin Seager became the third family member drafted into pro baseball, and Monday night, the infielder showcased why Seattle thought he was worthy of a 12^th-round selection.

Seager notched career highs with four hits and four RBIs in Class A Short-Season Everett's 11-10 loss to Salem-Keizer on Monday night. He doubled and scored a run.

The AquaSox infielder is the middle brother of Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager and Dodgers prospect Corey Seager. Kyle has been in the Major Leagues since 2011 and has already played in 323 games with the Mariners, while Corey, a 2012 first-round Draft pick (18^th overall) was recently promoted to Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga after hitting .309 with a .918 OPS as a 19-year-old with Class A Great Lakes.

Justin is a UNC Charlotte product who was a 12^th round Draft pick by the Mariners this summer. The team's director of scouting Tom McNamara told MLB.com shortly after the Draft that Justin was added mostly on merit.

"We didn't draft him because he's Kyle Seager's brother," he said.

Justin predominantly played first base in college, where he was named the Atlantic 10 Conference co-Player of the Year this summer. As a pro, he has split time between first and third base, playing third Monday.

Seager doubled in the first inning as Everett jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the frame. After singles by Jack Reinheimer and Bryan Brito, Seager ripped a line drive into center field. Reinheimer and Brito scored on the knock.

"I was looking for a fastball, a good fastball to hit," he said. "[Nick Vander Tuig] got behind on me, 2-0, and then he threw a good pitcher's pitch down and away for a called strike. I got to 3-1, and he laid me in a good one to hit. I saw it well and put a good swing on it."

After Salem-Keizer tied the game in the bottom of the first, Everett posted another three-spot in the second, with Seager plating Kyle Petty with a single to center for the last of those runs.

After popping out to second in the fourth, Seager picked up his third hit and fourth RBI in the sixth. After Reinheimer reached on a fielding error by first baseman Blake Miller and advanced to second on Brito's groundout, Seager drove him in with a line-drive base hit to right.

Seager also singled in the eighth as Everett scored a pair of runs for a 10-7 advantage.

The breakout raised Seager's average to .260 for the season. The 6-foot-1 right-handed hitter has three home runs, 10 doubles and 24 RBIs in 45 games.

Though Seager says brotherly advice was invaluable to him as he began his Minor League experience, he's learned much more in Everett. In particular, he's battled to maintain better consistency at the plate as he endures the rigors of daily baseball action.

"I feel like I'm starting to learn my swing better and learning how I play the game," he said, "which allows me to have a better plan when I go up to the box. When I stick to that plan, I feel like I can do pretty well."

Seager has had a chance to catch up with Kyle in person a few times since being drafted, and he also talks to Justin regularly. He said he's excited to catch up with his brothers to share notes and experiences in the offseason.

"I'm really looking forward to our time together, really looking forward to getting to work with them," he said. "There's a bunch they have to show me and I have stuff to show them. We all push each other. There's a reason why all three of us have been successful, especially Kyle. Where he is, he's there through hard work and a good work ethic."

Everett's 10-7 advantage after 7 ½ innings vanished in the bottom of the eighth when the Volcanoes put together a four-run frame keyed by a two-RBI double by Leonardo Rojas.