2018 MLB Draft: Pittsburgh Pirates select Travis Swaggerty with the 10th overall pick

With the 10th overall pick in the draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates have selected outfielder Travis Swaggerty from the University of South Alabama. In mock drafts, Swaggerty was projected to go 14th by ESPN and 21st by Baseball America.

Swaggerty has shown the type of tools and work ethic to become a quality pro after going from being undrafted as a high schooler to becoming the first player from South Alabama since 1991 to be chosen in the first round of the draft. In 2016 as a sophomore, he led the Sun Belt Conference in on-base percentage (.484), runs scored (55) and RBI (60) while hitting safely in 44 of 58 games. Swaggerty also gained enough attention while playing for Team USA to the point that he was considered the best position player on the roster and has shown his all-around skill set a lot this spring despite his numbers being down overall.

Swaggerty’s speed and patience at the plate are what separate him from the rest of the position players, as they are both close to above average grades. He also has some power behind his bat, good range, an arm that is better than most prospects and a solid makeup, all of which can help him become a fixture in the Pirates’ outfield for years to come.

Get a look at Swaggerty at the plate here: