JT Schwartz

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Mets #26 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Schwartz was a draft prospect as a SoCal high school shortstop before enrolling at UCLA as a top recruit in 2018. He shifted to first base in college and thrived when he was on the field. Schwartz redshirted as a freshman and missed his sophomore year to the pandemic before breaking out in 2021, when he led the Pacific-12 Conference with a .396 average while drawing 37 walks to 28 strikeouts. The Mets drafted him in the fourth round.
  
  Scouting Report: Schwartz has demonstrated an ability to discern balls from strikes and get his bat on fastballs, but his power production has to improve. He hit .195 with little power in a 25-game debut at Low-A St. Lucie. The Mets are working with Schwartz to clean up his movement patterns and add muscle to his lanky 6-foot-4 frame. If he can sync up his upper and lower halves and add bat speed, then enhanced exit velocities could follow. But for now his EVs are well below-average for a first baseman. He shows occasional power in batting practice. Schwartz has below-average speed and fringe range at first base. He missed time with a shoulder injury in 2021 and previously had hip surgery and knee problems.
  
  The Future: Adopting more of a power-over-hit mentality and embracing the idea of taking more chances will help Schwartz move away from his college approach. He will be a key player to watch in 2022.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #124 prospect in 2021 draft
  Schwartz ranked No. 456 on the BA 500 out of high school and was one of UCLA’s top recruits in the 2018 class. After redshirting his freshman year and having the 2020 season cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, Schwartz got his first chance at a full season this spring and hit .405/.528/.635 with seven home runs during the regular season despite missing time with a shoulder injury. Schwartz is a superb contact hitter who projects to hit for a high average. He makes an elite amount of contact on pitches in the strike zone and doesn’t chase out of the zone. He had significantly more walks (35) than strikeouts in the regular season (22) and projects to be at least an above-average hitter. Schwartz looks the part of a power hitter at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, but his swing and approach are geared for contact. He stands close to the plate and takes short, inside-out swings geared toward pushing balls the other way. He flashes average raw power and will turn on soft stuff, but his approach, swing path and average bat speed mostly yield line drives for singles and doubles. Schwartz is limited to first base defensively by his below-average speed and general lack of mobility. He has previously had hip surgery and knee problems in addition to this year’s shoulder injury, so his health is a concern. Schwartz’s physicality and excellent contact skills are enticing to teams who believe they can help him tap into more power. He projects to be taken early on the draft’s second day.
• Ranked #456 prospect in 2018 draft
  Scouts flocked to Corona del Mar High to watch Preston Hartsell, but over the course of the season many began to prefer his teammate Schwartz. A lefthanded-hitting infielder with the knack of putting the barrel on the ball, Schwartz has an enticing 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame that portends more power as he fills out. Schwartz presently employs a high-contact slap approach and evaluators would like him to make an adjustment to stay behind the ball and start driving it more. That's important for Schwartz because he will have to slide from shortstop to third base, where his smooth hands, average arm and solid glove project best in pro ball. He will still need to improve his footwork, however. Schwartz has the upside of a lefthanded-hitting third baseman with power, but he has significant approach and swing changes to make to get there. He is committed to UCLA and will be an expensive sign.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Schwartz was a draft prospect as a SoCal high school shortstop before enrolling at UCLA as a top recruit in 2018. He shifted to first base in college and thrived when he was on the field. Schwartz redshirted as a freshman and missed his sophomore year to the pandemic before breaking out in 2021, when he led the Pacific-12 Conference with a .396 average while drawing 37 walks to 28 strikeouts. The Mets drafted him in the fourth round.
  
  Scouting Report: Schwartz has demonstrated an ability to discern balls from strikes and get his bat on fastballs, but his power production has to improve. He hit .195 with little power in a 25-game debut at Low-A St. Lucie. The Mets are working with Schwartz to clean up his movement patterns and add muscle to his lanky 6-foot-4 frame. If he can sync up his upper and lower halves and add bat speed, then enhanced exit velocities could follow. But for now his EVs are well below-average for a first baseman. He shows occasional power in batting practice. Schwartz has below-average speed and fringe range at first base. He missed time with a shoulder injury in 2021 and previously had hip surgery and knee problems.
  
  The Future: Adopting more of a power-over-hit mentality and embracing the idea of taking more chances will help Schwartz move away from his college approach. He will be a key player to watch in 2022.