JJ Schwarz

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #198 prospect in 2018 draft
  Schwarz has been a prominent player dating back to his high school days, when he played on USA Baseball's gold-medal winning 18U national team in 2013. He was an All-American as a freshman at Florida in 2015, when he hit .332/.398/.629 with 18 home runs. He didn't reach those statistical heights again until this spring, but he's been a constant presence in the heart of Florida's lineup for the last four seasons. Schwarz, a righthanded hitter, has above-average power. That comes with a fair amount of swing and miss and there are questions about just how much he'll hit in pro ball. Schwarz has a lot of experience handling elite pitching at Florida and he's improved defensively in the last year. But his lack of athleticism behind the plate makes him a fringy defender and many scouts believe he's better suited for first base, where he largely played last year. Regardless of where he ends up defensively, most of Schwarz's value is tied to his bat.
• Ranked #374 prospect in 2017 draft
  A 17th-round pick (Brewers) out of a West Palm Beach high school, Schwarz was famous in high school as part of a baseball family. HIs father Jeff pitched in the majors and has coached in the Marlins organization for years, while his older sister Taylor won softball championships in high school before playing at Florida. J.J. Schwarz burst on the scene as a freshman in 2015, ranking fourth in the country with 18 home runs while sharing catching duties with Mike Rivera. The last two seasons, however, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Schwarz has regressed. He has shifted primarily to first base and hit 16 homers combined since his freshman season. Schwarz lacks athleticism in all phases--in his swing, defensively at first or at catcher and when he runs, as he's a baseclogger. He's patient and powerful at the plate but also pitchable, with holes to exploit while lacking the athleticism to adjust. He improved a bit in the second half of his junior season, throwing out 7 of 18 basestealers in limited catching duty while hitting .301 in SEC play. Schwarz looked like a potential first-round pick two years ago; now he's a wild card for a team that wants to take a chance on him being a low-average, power-hitting catcher.
• Ranked #73 prospect in 2014 draft
  Schwarz was an offensive catalyst as the starting catcher on the Team USA 18-and-under squad that won a World Cup gold medal last summer, hitting .429/.452/.536. The game comes naturally to Schwarz, the son of former major league pitcher and Marlins minor league pitching coach Jeff Schwarz. The righthanded hitter has the chance to be an offensive backstop, with above-average raw power and the ability to create backspin with a level swing path that makes a different sound when he makes contact. He has an advanced approach, drives the gaps with the chance to have a fringe-average hit tool with at least average power. Schwarz, who has average arm strength but a very accurate arm, has the confidence and aptitude to backpick runners with aplomb. The Florida commit has quiet actions behind the plate and the hands to receive well. Scouts like his hands, willingness to work at his defense and the way he interacts with pitchers. Schwarz is a low-energy player, however, which makes some scouts wonder how he will hold up under a long season. The 6-foot-1, 193 pound Florida commit is a well below-average runner.