Dodgers' Swan breaks down his pitches
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Eriq Swan is essentially in his pitching infancy, and that could be a scary thought for the rest of the league. The 23-year-old, 6-foot-6 right-hander picked up pitching late at Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, having primarily been a tall shortstop in his prep years. He
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Eriq Swan is essentially in his pitching infancy, and that could be a scary thought for the rest of the league.
The 23-year-old, 6-foot-6 right-hander picked up pitching late at Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, having primarily been a tall shortstop in his prep years. He proved his rawness on the bump in a March 9, 2020 start as a senior in which he struck out six, walked five and allowed only one hit over four innings and it was then that a lightbulb went off.
“In that outing, I was like 94-97,” he said, “and I was like, OK, maybe I can throw the ball.”
Swan became a full-time hurler at Middle Tennessee State following the pandemic and entered the Blue Raiders rotation in 2022 and 2023 with mixed results including a 6.49 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 71 strikeouts in 61 innings as a junior. Scouts still found his rawness intriguing, and MLB Pipeline ranked the righty No. 240 on the 2023 Draft prospects list. The Dodgers drafted Swan 137th overall with the pick they acquired as compensation for the free-agent loss of Trea Turner and signed him for around slot at $466,500.
The hurler was limited to only 28 2 ⅓ innings between the Arizona Complex League and Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in what was meant to be his first full season due to an oblique injury at first and arm/shoulder issues later, and he’s made up for some of that in the Arizona Fall League where he’s been one of most talked-about arms. Entering Week 5, he had struck out 14 batters and walked only one in 8 ⅔ innings for Glendale while showing off heat and an altered arsenal.
We caught up with Swan in Arizona in the latest edition of the MLB Pipeline Pitching Lab:
FASTBALL
The velo has certainly been there this fall.
Swan’s first three AFL outings came in front of Statcast cameras, and in those starts, he sat 96-99 mph, touching 99.4 on a strikeout of 2023 first-rounder Brock Wilken on Oct. 10. Only Luis Mey (101.8) and Carlos Lagrange (99.8) have touched higher in front of Statcast in the AFL this year.
The Los Angeles prospect gets a tad above-average extension (6.6 feet) out of his large frame, but his heater stands out more for its velocity than its shape with only 4.6 inches of average horizontal movement and 15.9 inches of average induced vertical break. But even that’s been enough to hold off talented AFL hitters; 16 of his 54 four-seamers thrown (29.6 percent) have gone for called strikes or whiffs.
The bigger point might be that Swan is throwing with much improved command and overall control in the short AFL sample. He throws exclusively out of the stretch now, positioned on the first-base side, due to earlier wildness concerns.
I’ve tried to throw out of the windup before,” Swan said. “Those extra little steps get momentum going in different places that I don’t really like. Throwing out of the stretch, it’s one simple thing I can repeat all the time.”
Allowing those mechanics to play best also took a mental switch.
“I have to be around the zone as much as I can,” Swan said. “With every pitch, I’m trying to force a swing decision. … I don’t know if so much of it was overthrowing, but I think there were too many thoughts over the rubber instead of over the plate and trying to execute. A lot of the thought process was going into what I was trying to do. As the Fall League’s gone on, I’ve let go, trusted my body and let the rest take care of itself.”
SLIDER
Lighting up the radar gun in that way will always make scouts and evaluators sit up straight, but Swan is proving he’s more than just his four-seamer.
His slider got a 50 percent whiff rate in his final season at MTSU, but he’s continued to tinker with the pitch to get it to work in concert with numero uno.
“In college, I was all over the place,” Swan said. “I was trying to throw something up there to spin something. The Dodgers have done a really good job helping me figure out what that looks like and how I’m supposed to throw it. … For me, it was thinking fastball on a lot of things instead of thinking breaking ball or thinking spin. Keeping the same intent with it that I do with the fastball and letting the grip take care of the rest.”
📩 CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO BEN'S BIZ
That particular grip is part of the pitch’s reinvention. Swan saw Phillies prospect and fellow Desert Dogs pitcher Griff McGarry throw a ton of sliders during pregame catch and clocked that movement profile was just what he was seeking. McGarry shared his grip that moved Swan’s fingers higher up the seam, and something locked into place.
“It was more of a cutter,” he said of the old slider. “It had a lot of lift to it, not as much horizontal or depth as I wanted. Talking to Griff, we switched to this grip, and I guess there’s a little more seam to play with, so it’s got more depth.”
The pitch still comes in hard in the 86-89 mph range with 4.8 inches of horizontal, but the added depth allows it to dip below bats and play better than a cutter-like slider would.
SWEEPER
The slider hasn’t been Swan’s only breaking ball in the Fall League. He also throws an 82-85 mph sweeper with 10.2 inches of gloveside movement on average. The development of that offering came after Swan couldn’t quite produce another breaker to the quality he desired.
“This whole year was about trying to figure out the curveball,” he said. “Eventually, I think my last three starts of the year, I [thought] you know what, I’m going to with what I know works. I can throw the sweeper, and it felt comfortable. So I threw maybe three of them in the bullpen before a game, and I was like, alright, we’re bringing this into a game. I’ve kept going with it since then.”
Part of that might be Swan’s motion and its holdover from his shortstop days when he needed a lower angle on infield tosses and throws around the second-base bag. The three-quarters delivery that he uses on the mound is a better fit for the sweeper than the curve, which tends to work better with over-the-top movements.
“I do well at getting around the ball, maybe not so much at getting in front of the ball,” Swan said. “Getting around the ball has always been easy. Spinning it that way is pretty simple.”
That isn’t to say Swan won’t still try to crack the deuce. He says he’s going to make it a focus again in the offseason, hoping that the vertical break will play off the fastball and give another dimension to his other secondaries. But until that happens, same-side batters will want to keep cognizant of Swan’s approach with the sweeper.
“I aim at a right-handed hitter,” he said, “and try to bring it across the plate.”
CHANGEUP
Placing his two middle fingers on the seams and wrapping the rest of his hand around the ball, Swan works with an 89-91 mph changeup that would match some pitcher’s fastballs. The pitch still works because of the separation of his upper-90s four-seamer, and like with the slider, Swan is thinking heater when he throws the change too. Well, sorta.
“I try to throw this harder than my fastball,” he said. “I grab it and throw it as hard as I can.”
Swan says he’s aiming for around 90 mph (good there), four inches of IVB (6.1 average in AFL) and 15 inches of horizontal (13.5 average). So work remains, but it’s a start. He’ll need the changeup to hold off lefties if he’s going to remain a starter with the Dodgers. But one thing you can guarantee – it, like Swan’s other pitches, will come with full intent.
“I think a lot of guys get in the way with the changeup because it’s taught to you as a finesse pitch,” he said. “I think the easiest way for athletes to go about things is full speed. I’m going to throw this thing as hard as I can, and if it moves, it moves.”
Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @SamDykstraMiLB.
Upgrade Your Summer Nights at PNC Field
Every RailRiders season offers something amazing, including amazing theme nights, exclusive events and VIP experiences! Click here to learn more!
All Gas, No Break: RailRiders win ninth straight
WORCESTER, MA (July 18, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders topped the Worcester Red Sox 11-3 on Friday night at Polar Park. Eight out of nine hitters had at least one hit, three players homered and Brendan Beck struck out a career-best nine batters as the RailRiders won their ninth straight.
Clean Sweep: RailRiders cap series sweep with 5-4 victory
MOOSIC, PA (July 13, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Buffalo Bisons 5-4 Sunday afternoon at PNC Field to complete the series sweep. The RailRiders have won eight in a row and sit alone atop the International League standings heading into the MLB All-Star break. Box Score Yankees #2
Good Vibes: RailRiders top Bisons for seventh straight win
MOOSIC, PA (July 12, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders beat the Buffalo Bisons 6-3 Saturday night at PNC Field for their seventh consecutive win. Jose Rojas and Jake Gatewood each hit home runs and Erick Leal earned his fourth win of the second half. Box Score Buffalo took the lead
Offertunity Knocks: RailRiders announce two special deals
MOOSIC, PA (April 3, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, have announced two special offers for the upcoming 2025 season. After popular runs in 2024, the College Rush ticket offer has returned for students and the Military Discount has been upgraded for active or
Winning Ways: SWB plates 10 in sixth straight victory
MOOSIC, PA (July 11, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Buffalo Bisons 10-1 Friday night at PNC Field. Allan Winans carried a perfect game into the fifth and was backed by a pair of three-run homers from Spencer Jones and T.J. Rumfield, leading the RailRiders to their sixth win
Hot Streak: RailRiders top Bisons for fifth straight victory
MOOSIC, PA (July 10, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Buffalo Bisons 11-7 Thursday night at PNC Field. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre fell behind three times in the game, but a six-run seventh inning secured the RailRiders' fifth win in a row and third straight against the Bisons. Box Score Buffalo opened
W-Day: RailRiders beat Bisons 7-2 for fourth straight win
MOOSIC, PA (July 9, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders beat the Buffalo Bisons 7-2 Wednesday afternoon at PNC Field. Jesús Rodríguez and Spencer Jones homered to back up a quality start from Sean Boyle as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre took the first two games of the set against the Bisons. Box Score The
Tone Setter: SWB takes Buffalo series opener 5-2
MOOSIC, PA (July 8, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders topped the Buffalo Bisons 5-2 Tuesday night at PNC Field. Jorbit Vivas and Ismael Munguia had three hits apiece, helping back Carlos Carrasco in his first RailRiders win. Box Score The Bisons opened the scoring against Carrasco in the fourth. Alan
Good Day: Jones, De La Cruz and Leal pace 9-6 victory
MOOSIC, PA (July 6, 2025) – Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 9-6 Sunday afternoon at PNC Field. Spencer Jones and Bryan De La Cruz both homered and Erick Leal notched a quality start, propelling the RailRiders to a series victory against the IronPigs. Box Score Lehigh Valley tallied
Career Night: Pereira hits for cycle as RailRiders topple IronPigs
MOOSIC, PA (July 5, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 16-6 Saturday night at PNC Field. Yankees #12 Prospect Everson Pereira hit for the cycle and drove in six as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre evened the set at two games apiece heading into the series finale Sunday afternoon. Box
Battle Lost: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre drops 5-4 decision Friday
MOOSIC, PA (July 4, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders lost to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 5-4 Friday night at PNC Field. Two home runs from two top Yankees prospects were not enough to defeat Lehigh Valley on Independence Day. Box Score The IronPigs jumped out to an early advantage in
Walk-Off Woe: RailRiders fall to IronPigs 6-5 Thursday
ALLENTOWN, PA (July 3, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders were walked off by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 6-5 on Thursday evening at Coca-Cola Park. With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Keaton Anthony singled off the high wall in right to plate two and
Epic: RailRiders top IronPigs 9-8 Wednesday night
ALLENTOWN, PA (July 2, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders beat the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 9-8 on Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Park. Alex Jackson homered twice and drove in five as the RailRiders built a lead, fell behind and came back for the series-opening win. Box Score Scranton/Wilkes-Barre took a 2-0
Tomorrow Perhaps: Tuesday's opener in Allentown washed out
ALLENTOWN, PA (July 1, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders game against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs slated for Tuesday, July 1, has been postponed due to inclement weather. Tonight’s game will be made up when the RailRiders return to Allentown in early August with a twinbill on August 6. The RailRiders
Scintillating Sunday: Leal and Velazquez shine in series finale
MOOSIC, PA (June 29, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Worcester Red Sox 6-1 Sunday afternoon at PNC Field. A four-run fourth and a quality start from RailRiders pitcher Erick Leal secured the series finale victory as the RailRiders took five of six from the WooSox. Box Score After
Streaks Suppressed: RailRiders fall in extras 5-3 Saturday
MOOSIC, PA (June 28, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders lost to the Worcester Red Sox 5-3 in 10 innings Saturday night at PNC Field. The defeat snapped a six-game winning streak for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and sent them to their first loss of the second half. Box Score The RailRiders jumped out
Friday Night Highlights: Jones and Rojas homers drive 4-2 win
MOOSIC, PA (June 27, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Worcester Red Sox 4-2 Friday night at PNC Field to secure a series win against Boston’s Triple-A affiliate. Yankees #2 Prospect Spencer Jones and Jose Rojas both hit home runs to pace the RailRiders to their sixth straight win.
On A Roll: RailRiders top WooSox for ninth straight home win
MOOSIC, PA (June 26, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Worcester Red Sox 4-2 Thursday night at PNC Field. The win was the ninth consecutive home victory for the RailRiders and the fifth in a row as the RailRiders guaranteed at least a series split with Worcester. Box Score
Picture Perfect: Cam Schlittler flashes brilliance in 4-0 win
MOOSIC, PA (June 25, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders blanked the Worcester Red Sox 4-0 Wednesday night at PNC Field for their eighth shutout of the year. After a two-hour rain delay, Yankees #10 Prospect Cam Schlittler worked a quality start, pacing the RailRiders to their fourth win in a
¡Fuerte Comienzo! Vejigantes claim win with early runs
MOOSIC, PA (June 24, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Worcester Red Sox 6-5 Tuesday night at PNC Field. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre built a 6-1 lead after three, holding off a Worcester comeback to win the first game of the second half of the season and its third in a row
Aced It: Beck goes six scoreless in Triple-A debut win
LOUISVILLE, KY (June 22, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders topped the Louisville Bats 3-2 Sunday afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field. Brendan Beck worked six scoreless in his Triple-A debut to help the RailRiders earn a split of their series in Louisville. Box Score The RailRiders took a 1-0 lead in
Extra Effort: SWB snaps skid with 4-3 extra inning win at Louisville
LOUISVILLE, KY (June 21, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders beat the Louisville Bats 4-3 in 10 innings on Saturday night at Louisville Slugger Field. Brennen Davis homered twice and the RailRiders lone lead of the day came in extras to snap their three-game losing streak. Box Score
Held In Check: SWB loses 5-1 at Louisville Friday
LOUISVILLE, KY (June 20, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders lost 5-1 to the Louisville Bats Friday night at Louisville Slugger Field. Bats starter Adam Plutko held the RailRiders to three hits in a complete game win. Box Score Bryan De La Cruz staked the RailRiders to a 1-0 edge in
Road Tripped: SWB drops 6-3 decision at Louisville
LOUISVILLE, KY (June 19, 2025) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders fell 6-3 to the Louisville Bats Thursday night at Louisville Slugger Field. The RailRiders took leads of 2-0 and 3-2, but the Bats scored at least one run in each of their final four innings at the plate to send Scranton/Wilkes-Barre