Perrotto: First-Round Draft Pick Might Be Realizing Potential (+)
BRADENTON, Fla. – Travis Swaggerty had one simple thought in mind when he reported to spring training.
“I came into camp saying I’d control what I can control,” Swaggerty said.
The Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect and first-round draft pick in 2018 has controlled what he can control quite well with just five days remaining in camp. In fact, he may be close to completing his longshot bid to make the opening day roster after all but falling off the prospect radar.
Swaggerty is having an outstanding spring, going 11 for 29 (.379) with three home runs in Grapefruit League play.
It’s been an impressive performance for someone whose status as a top prospect has dropped. MLB Pipeline ranks Swaggerty as the Pirates’ 22nd-best prospect while Baseball America doesn’t even include him in its top 30.
“I’ve worked really hard every day and I can’t complain one bit about how things have gone,” Swaggerty said.
The 25-year-old Swaggerty feels a big reason for him being a spring sensation is good health.
In 2021, he was limited to just 12 games before undergoing surgery on his right (non-throwing) shoulder after being injured while diving back to first base on a pickoff attempt.
Swaggerty recovered in time to play a full season last year, even making his major-league debut on June 7 in a cameo with the Pirates. Yet Swaggerty says his shoulder feels stronger this year.
“It’s huge for me, mentally, physically, everything,” Swaggerty said of being healthy. “I felt like when I came into camp this year, I didn’t necessarily think I needed to have a huge camp like this, but I needed to show what I could do fully healthy and I’ve done that. I feel like I’ve put myself in a good situation and that’s all I can ask for.”
Travis Swaggerty has certainly made a good impression this spring. He is showing why the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him 10th overall in ’18 from the University of South Alabama.
Neal Huntington was the general manager who drafted Swaggerty. Though Ben Cherington replaced Huntington following the 2019 season, Swaggerty never felt that he might wind up being an odd man out in a regime change.
Swaggerty had a good feeling in 2020 when he was worked out at the Pirates’ alternate training site in Altoona after the minor-league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ben saw what I could do there,” Swaggerty said. “Ben has always had my back. He’s always known what I could do. It’s been a good process with him, a smooth transition.”
Jack Suwinski is likely to be the regular center fielder to start the season. However, Swaggerty is making a strong bid for at least a bench job.
Swaggerty wound up spending eight days and playing five games in the major leagues last season. He has a hunger to return for a much longer stay.
“It’s everything for me to get back there,” Swaggerty said. “The little taste last year was really good. Not going back up just gave me that little extra juice to go into the offseason to work to make it back.”
“PNC Park is such a beautiful ballpark. When I was there, it was like, man, how can I do this every single day?. That is the dream. To be able to accomplish the dream in a place like that, it’s definitely the big leagues. It stuck with me. I can picture the view from center field, left field, the view from the plate. It’s where I want to be.”
The Pirates once thought Swaggerty would be a PNC Park fixture. He still might be.