| Blake Swihart | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Swihart with the Boston Red Sox | |
| Free agent | |
| Catcher /Utility | |
| Born: (1992-04-03)April 3, 1992 (age 32) Bedford, Texas, U.S. | |
Bats: Switch Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 2, 2015, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics (through 2019 season) | |
| Batting average | .243 |
| Home runs | 12 |
| Runs batted in | 67 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Blake Aubry Swihart (born April 3, 1992) is an American professionalbaseballcatcher andoutfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theBoston Red Sox andArizona Diamondbacks. Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 205 pounds (93 kg), he throws right-handed and is aswitch hitter.
Blake attendedV. Sue Cleveland High School inRio Rancho, New Mexico, where he competed inbasketball,baseball, andfootball. Playing mainly as ashortstop, he had a .602batting average (56-for-93) with 17doubles, fivetriples, fivehome runs, 41runs batted in (RBIs) and 58runs scored in 28 games as a senior. As apitcher, Swihart's fastball could reach 85 miles per hour (137 km/h) before he began high school, and was up to 98 miles per hour (158 km/h) by the time he was a junior. However, it was during his junior season that Swihart quit pitching because he preferred to hit, and it was also during his junior season when Swihart first began playingcatcher.[1]
In 2009, Blake attendedRio Rancho High School, where he helped the Rio Rancho Rams win a State Championship, leading the team in multiple offensive categories. Blake played under longtime head coach Ron Murphy. Blake played for the Rams for two seasons before Sue Cleveland was built, which prompted him to change schools as he lived in the new boundaries.
Blake played forUSA Baseball's 18-Under National Team in 2010 and led his team with a .448 average, earning Louisville Slugger All-American honors. For Team USA, Swihart playedfirst base andleft field.[1] He played in the 2010 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic.[2] Off of the baseball field, Swihart had a 4.0 GPA.[1] He committed to attend theUniversity of Texas at Austin on acollege baseball scholarship.[3] His best friend isAlex Bregman, who plays for theHouston Astros, with whom he grew up playing travel ball.[4][5]
The Red Sox selected Swihart in the first round, with the 26th overall selection of the2011 MLB Draft. He became the highest-drafted player out of New Mexico sinceShane Andrews in 1990.[2] Though he played as ashortstop in high school, the Red Sox converted Swihart into acatcher because of his athleticism and strong throwing arm.[6][7] The Red Sox signed Swihart, giving him a $2.5 millionsigning bonus to convince him to bypass his commitment to the University of Texas.[8][9]
Swihart played briefly in therookie-levelGulf Coast League in 2011 with theGCL Red Sox, then received consecutive promotions to theGreenville Drive of theSingle–ASouth Atlantic League in 2012, and theSalem Red Sox of theHigh–ACarolina League in 2013.
Prior to the 2014 season, Swihart was named the 73rd-best prospect byBaseball America.[10] He began the 2014 season with thePortland Sea Dogs of theDouble–AEastern League. In August, the Red Sox promoted Swihart, with pitching prospectHenry Owens, to thePawtucket Red Sox of theTriple–AInternational League.[11] Swihart was ranked as the second highest-ranked prospect in the Red Sox organization for the 2014 season, according toMLB.com.[12]
Swihart was added to Boston's40-man roster in November 2014.[13] With fellow prospectChristian Vázquez considered more developmentally advanced, the Red Sox assigned Swihart to Pawtucket to gain more experience at the Triple–A level. However, Vázquez later underwent surgery and was ruled out for the entire 2015 season.[14]
On May 2, 2015, Swihart was called up to the big leagues for the first time, after catcherRyan Hanigan was placed on thedisabled list with a broken finger.[15] On that day, Swihart recorded his first major league hit, against theNew York Yankees.[16] On June 4, Swihart hit his first major league home run in the third inning of an 8–4 loss to theMinnesota Twins. A switch-hitter, Swihart hit the home run from the right side of the plate off Twins' starterTommy Milone. At 23 years old, Swihart became the youngest Red Sox catcher to hit a home run sinceRich Gedman in 1982.[17] When Swihart facedPat Venditte on June 5, Venditte saw he was batting using a rightybatting helmet. Venditte then requested to switch his throwing arm (Venditte could pitch with either arm), and Swihart also changed his helmet. Swihart would strike out later, for Venditte's first strikeout. On August 28, Swihart hit an inside-the-park home run in the 10th inning of a 6–4 win over theNew York Mets.[18] On September 29, against Yankees, Swihart had his first career multi-home run game and a career high of five RBIs.[19] Overall, with the2015 Red Sox, Swihart appeared in 84 games, batting .274 with five home runs and 31 RBIs. Defensively, all of his appearances were as catcher.[20]
Swihart started playing left field for the 2016 season, and split time between Pawtucket (29 games) and Boston (19 games). With the2016 Red Sox, he hit .258 with no home runs and five RBIs, while making six appearances at catcher and 13 in left field.[21] During 2017, Swihart again split time between Boston (six games) and Pawtucket (53 games), while also playing nine games with the GCL Red Sox. With the2017 Red Sox, he batted 1-for-5 (.200), while defensively appearing in four games at catcher.[22]
Swihart was converted into autility player for 2018; he played first base, third base, catcher, and left field duringspring training.[citation needed] In mid-May, his agent asked the Red Sox to trade Swihart, given his limited playing time with the team.[23] At the time, Swihart was hitting .138 (4-for-29) in 32plate appearances, having played games at catcher, first base, left field, anddesignated hitter. Swihart was placed on the disabled list on August 3, with a righthamstring strain.[24] To that point in the season, he had appeared in 51 games, batting .226 with one home run and six RBIs. He returned to the active roster on August 14.[24] Swihart played throughout the season as a bench player, appearing in 82 games and batting .229/.285/.328 with three home runs. In the postseason, Swihart played two innings in the outfield and caught one inning, going 0-for-3 at the plate, as the Red Sox won theWorld Series in five games over theLos Angeles Dodgers.[25]
Swihart started the 2019 season as one of two catchers for Boston, along withChristian Vázquez, asSandy León was outrighted to theminor leagues.[26] Swihart wasdesignated for assignment on April 16, to make space for León on the roster.[27][28] Swihart had appeared in six games with the2019 Red Sox, batting 6-for-26 (.231) with one home run and four RBIs.
On April 19, 2019, theArizona Diamondbacks acquired Swihart, along with international signing bonus pool money, from Boston in exchange for outfielderMarcus Wilson.[29][30] Swihart was designated for assignment on August 12, 2019. He elected free agency on October 1, 2019.
On December 16, 2019, Swihart signed a minor league contract with theTexas Rangers.[31] On August 25, 2020, Swihart was released by the Rangers organization.[32]
On January 27, 2021, Swihart signed a minor league contract with theWashington Nationals organization that included an invitation to Spring Training.[33] In 70 games for the Triple-ARochester Red Wings, Swihart slashed .198/.299/.339 with 5 home runs and 17 RBI. On September 13, 2021, he was released.[34]
On April 20, 2022, Swihart signed with theLexington Legends of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball.[35] In 53 games, he batted .157/.297/.281 with 4 home runs and 15 RBI. Swihart was released by the Legends on September 1.
On April 24, 2024, Swihart signed with theCharleston Dirty Birds of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball.[36] In four games for Charleston, he went 0–for–7 with six walks. On May 3, Swihart was released by the Dirty Birds.[37]
On May 8, 2024, Swihart signed with theDorados de Chihuahua of theMexican League.[38] However, he did not appear in a game for the club, and was released on May 31.[39]
His father, Arlan, is anuclear engineer and played basketball forSouthern Illinois University.[1] Swihart and his wife, Shelby, were married in 2017.[40][better source needed]
Swihart's older brother, Jace, serves in theUnited States Army. He has a younger sister, Kacie.[41] Swihart's parents, Carla and Arlan, adopted Romell Jordan, a family friend who came to live with them during high school. Jordan playedrunning back for theUniversity of New Mexico. Jordan died at age 23 in 2019.[42]
