Josh Swales
| IP | 138.667 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 6.88 |
| WHIP | 1.913 |
| BB/9 | 5.127 |
| SO/9 | 7.788 |
- Full name Joshua Derek Swales
- Born 10/28/2001 in Santa Clarita, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School College Of Southern Nevada
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Drafted in the 13th round (378th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2021 (signed for $125,000).
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A southern California high school product, Swales originally committed to Arizona but instead wound up in junior college ball at the College of Southern Nevada for his freshman year. The righthander had a very inconsistent year, posting a 5.08 ERA with 107 strikeouts and 44 walks in 56.2 innings, but his projection intrigues scouts enough that he could go out somewhere in the top 10 rounds. Most noticeable about Swales is his raw arm speed. He delivers a fastball that sits 92-95 mph and touches as high as 98. What holds him back right now is command that is well below-average and a below-average breaking ball that occasionally flashes the potential to be a better pitch. The changeup is below-average now but projects as a future average pitch. Swales is committed to Grand Canyon.
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Pitching for a small, private school and with little history on the showcase circuit, Swales largely stayed under the radar until his fastball began touching 97 mph this spring. The velocity bump sent scouts racing to see him and made Swales one of the biggest risers on the West Coast before the season shut down. Swales is a good athlete with a loose, projectable frame. His fastball sits 91-94 mph and he began touching 96-97 more frequently as the season progressed. With plenty of room to fill out still, scouts think he could throw 100 mph someday. Swales is inconsistent with his release point on his 77-83 mph breaking ball, but it flashes as an impressive slider at its best. His changeup is a work in progress and shows average potential. Swales rarely faced good competition in high school and has had trouble throwing strikes. His athleticism and arm strength still have teams interested in buying him out of his Arizona commitment.
