Strengths: Swihart shows fluid swings from both side of the plate. He generates easy batspeed when bringing the head of the bat through the hitting zone... He has the hitting tool to develop into a plus hitter for batting average who drives the ball to all fields. Swihart’s swing is ideal for producing line drives and as his strength improves he has the potential for solid-average power... Defensively, he is light on his feet behind the plate and is very fluid with his actions.
Development Needs: Swihart presently lacks strength and needs to continue to fill out to push his overall game... He shows the defensive skills, but his body isn’t typical for the position. Even with physical maturation, his legs do not look like they may be able to get big enough to handle the grind of squatting behind the plate for 125-130 games a season.
2012 Outlook: Swihart has been working with the A-Ball group during spring training and a good chance to break camp with Greenville when the teams head north at the end of the month... The challenge of full-season baseball will also be good for pushing his approach and pitch recognition. If Swihart can work more to the whole field, he should produce hard contact and show doubles power this year.
His homerun power is expected to develop as he fills out over the next few years, but probably won't show up in games for awhile.
Edited by doctorogres, 28 March 2012 - 11:24 AM.
