Travis Swaggerty: Nothing to Prove

Granville, W. Va. - Selected as the tenth overall pick in the MLB Draft, outfielder Travis Swaggerty is being pegged by analysts and fans alike as the future of Pittsburgh Pirates' baseball.
But that's not what Swaggerty is worried about. Instead, he's focusing on the here and now- winning games and fighting for a New York-Penn League title with the West Virginia Black Bears.
Despite the articles and media attention he's receiving these days, the hype around Swaggerty's pro potential wasn't always this large. Coming out of high school, most Division One college programs didn't see promise in the prospect from Mandeville, Louisiana as an everyday position player.
"Most of the bigger schools talked to me about pitching only," said Swaggerty. "I was a closer in high school, and threw in the low to mid-nineties every time I pitched. It was between South Alabama and Southeastern Louisiana that gave me a shot as a two-way player, and that was it.
Looking to prove his abilities at the plate and in the field, Swaggerty headed to South Alabama and found himself as an everyday starter. In his first season with the Panthers, the freshman hit .303 with four homeruns and 27 RBIs, garnering recognition as a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American.
With a strong first season and some impressive accolades under his belt, Swaggerty demonstrated to the schools that overlooked him what he was capable of doing with the bat and glove.
"I was always more passionate about hitting and playing defense. I didn't really enjoy pitching because honestly, I wasn't really that good at it," Swaggerty said with a laugh. "After getting to play every day as an outfielder, it made me realize that this was what I wanted to do."
With his pitching days far behind him, Swaggerty began to hone his craft by spending countless hours at the baseball facility working on his game. According to his head coach at South Alabama Mark Calvi, it wasn't rare to see the young outfielder in the batting cages late into the night perfecting his swing.
No longer needing to prove himself at the collegiate level, Swaggerty had his sights set on a new goal- commanding outfields in the Major Leagues.
"I've always been really determined, but my dad always preached that if you want to do something with your life, you have to be determined," said Swaggerty. "If you want something, go get it."
Swaggerty's determination paid off with a two more impressive seasons at South Alabama. In total, he finished his career hitting .319 with 27 home runs and 121 RBIs.
After three years with the Panthers, the Pittsburgh Pirates thought enough of Swaggerty's game to select him with the 10^th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. The new Pirates' prospect shook MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's hand on national television, wearing the jersey of the team he someday hopes to play for.
"It was unbelievable- I still can't put it into words," Swaggerty said. "It was the best feeling in the world, and for all my hard work to pay off in such a big way was tremendous."
After signing his contract in Pittsburgh, Swaggerty joined the West Virginia Black Bears to begin his professional career. Finally settled into the organization, the new outfielder was ready to get on the field wearing the Black Bears' jersey.
"The pressure is off," said Swaggerty. "Now that I don't have to worry about getting drafted, I can go play hard every single day, and not worry about the outside noise. It'll be fun."
Watching Swaggerty play has been fun for West Virginia fans. In 12 games for the Black Bears, the outfielder is hitting .313 with two home runs and five RBIs, with more than half of his hits going for extra bases.
With his baseball dreams closer than ever, Swaggerty doesn't have his sights set too far in the future. Instead, he's taking things one day at a time, working on his craft, and focusing on some more short-term goals.
"I just want to win some games," Swaggerty said. "I think this team can do special things. There's a really good character in the clubhouse, and I want to win a championship with those guys."