Red Sox Sending Blake Swihart to Minors
With the news that Boston Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez will start the season on the 60-day disabled list with an elbow sprain, fans have been clamoring for top catching prospect Blake Swihart. Swihart is considered to be a top ten prospect in all of baseball.
The former first round pick has starred in the Minor Leagues, hitting .300 with Double A Portland last season and spending some time in Triple A Pawtucket.
More from MLB Prospects
- Is Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Ivan Melendez the next Pete Alonso?
- Los Angeles Dodgers prospect talk: Catching up with Hunter Feduccia
- MLBPA secures major victory for Minor League Baseball players
- Phillies: Breaking down the prospects fighting for an Opening Day spot
- What the XFL can learn from minor league baseball
With Vazquez out, there had been speculation he would make the roster out of camp, but now it appears it will be veteran and recently acquired Washington Nationals catcher Sandy Leon. Swihart had caught Boston opening day starter Clay Buchholz on Friday, leading some to believe that they were working them together.
This offseason the Red Sox signed 35-year old former Houston Astro Humberto Quintero. It appears Quintero will be Swihart’s backup in Pawtucket to offer veteran assistance.
Swihart, at 6 foot 1 and 185 pounds, has emerged as Boston’s potential top position player prospect in their entire system and has been deemed as a possible untouchable in deals. The New Mexico native can hit, and is working on becoming a more defensive catcher as well. In 69 at bats last season in Pawtucket Swihart did bat .261, and they want him to gain more Triple A at bats overall.
It is likely that Swihart will be in the majors at some point this season. Right now, their goal is to get him some Triple A at bats, but also by sending him down they gain an extra year of service time.
Vazquez is on the 60-day disabled list and he just may miss the entire season. He will be meeting this week with Dr. James Andrews, which is never good. It almost always means he will need Tommy John surgery.
As a switch hitter as well to add to his arsenal of tools, Swihart has shot up the Red Sox farm system in a hurry. Every season in the system he has reached a different level, beginning in Greenville when he was just 19 years old. He will turn 23 on April 3rd and begin his first full season above the Double A level.
In 2013 he was an All Star in the Carolina League and was also named the Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year. In 2014 he was an Eastern League all star and was also named the MVP of the Portland Sea Dogs.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals