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.