Sunday, December 17, 2017

Scouting the 20189 Draft: Travis Swaggerty

It seems like every year there is slightly undersized but toolsy college OF who jumps into the top rounds of the draft.  Ian Happ, Andrew Benintendi, and last year, Adam Haseley.  You know the type I am talking about.  This year's version is a guy named Travis Swaggerty who attends University of South Alabama.  Swaggerty is 5'10", 180 lbs, B-L, T-L.  He was even smaller coming out of HS, but despite his small size, most colleges recruited him as a LHP.  He wanted to hit and play OF and was stubborn about it.  The only school who would take him as an OF was Univ. of South Alabama.  The coach could see the projection and thought he could turn into a 5-tool OF which is exactly what he has done.  While the hit tool has blossomed, he is fast enough to cover CF and has the arm to play RF.

He sat on the bench for his first college game but led off the second game of the 2016 college season which a loud double off the CF fence and has never looked back.  Here are his stat lines for his freshman and sophomore campaigns:

2016:  .303/.431/.422, 12 2B, 4 HR, 20 SB, 42 BB, 49 K, 218 AB.
2017:  .356/.484/.571, 12 2B, 11 HR, 19 SB, 49 BB, 45 K, 219 AB.

Swaggerty might have the highest floor in the entire draft.  The factors keeping him out of the top 5 of most current draft boards would be lack of elite physicality, although he is obviously a tremendous athlete, and lack of elite college competition.  #2 might be a bit rich for a guy with Swaggerty's profile. On the other hand, if your #2 was the next Happ or Benintendi, I don't think you'd have much to complain about.

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DrB's Updated 2018 Draft Board:

1.  Seth Beer, OF/1B, College(Virginia).
2.  Jarred Kelenic, OF, HS.
3.  Nander De Sedas, SS, HS.
4.  Kumar Rocker, RHP, HS.
5.  Ethan Hankins, RHP, HS.
6.  Brady Singer, RHP, College(Florida).
7.  Logan Gilbert, RHP, College(Stetson).
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8.  Matthew Liberatore, LHP, HS.
9.  Travis Swaggerty, OF, College(Univ of South Alabama).
10.  Nolan Gorman, 3B, HS.
11.  Greyson Jenista, OF/1B, College(Wichita St).
12.  Casey Mize, RHP, College(Auburn).
13.  Nick Madrigal, 2B, College(Oregon St.).
14.  Shane McClanahan, LHP, College(Univ. of South Florida).
15.  Jackson Kowar, RHP, College(Florida).
16.  Ryan Rolison, LHP, College(Mississippi).
17.  Griffin Conine, OF, College(Duke).
18.  Brice Turang, SS, HS.

4 comments:

  1. I take it those 'above the line' are the guys you'd be fine with at #2, regardless of personal preference?

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    1. 1-7 is my top tier, any one of whom could have a case for being #1 overall. That line is fluid and will likely change several times by draft day. I would say Liberatore and Swaggerty are very close. I'm comparing Kelenic and Swaggerty, who are very similar players, and I'm asking myself why you would draft Kelenic over Swaggerty who is probably a lot closer to being ready for the major leagues. Does Kelenic have that much higher ceiling than Swaggerty? I'll have to give it some thought.

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  2. Comps? Tim Raines, Gregg Jeffries, Brett Butler, Steve Garvey, Lenny Dykstra?

    My favorite 5' 10" and under players...

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    Replies
    1. Probably closer to Jacoby Ellsbury, Benintendi, Happ in terms of tools and skill set.

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