Nick Swisher

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #1 prospect in 2005
  Despite setting a West Virginia state record with 17 home runs as a senior at Parkersburg High, Swisher wasn't drafted in 1999. The son of former first-round pick and all-star catcher Steve Swisher, Nick starred at Ohio State, becoming the Big 10 Conference freshman of the year in 2000 and an all-conference pick the next two seasons. The highest June regular phase draft pick in Buckeyes history, Swisher was Oakland's No. 1 target and went 16th overall in the club's much publicized "Moneyball" draft in 2002. He made slow and steady progress in his first two years before breaking out at Triple-A Sacramento in 2004, leading the minor leagues in walks and tying Dan Johnson for the organizational lead in home runs. He spent September playing a significant role in Oakland's playoff push, performing admirably in his big league debut. The accomplishments were made all the more impressive by the postseason discovery that he played the entire season with a fracture and a torn tendon in his left thumb. Swisher is a prime example of what Oakland looks for in a batting prospect. He has a quick, quiet swing that generates plus power from both sides of the plate, and he projects to hit 25-30 home runs annually. His uncanny plate discipline should make him a productive middle-of-the-order hitter, with the ability to both score and drive in 100 runs annually. The A's believe his .269 average at Sacramento represents the low end of his capabilities. Swisher brings a major league swagger to the field and backs it up with an outstanding work ethic. He's a true baseball rat who spent many summers traveling with his father during the elder Swisher's career as a minor league coach and manager. Swisher is sound defensively with good instincts and an average arm. While he has played just six games at first base as a pro, he's a potential Gold Glove candidate at that position, though Oakland currently has no plans of moving him from the outfield. Swisher tends to chase outside pitches, especially from the left side of the plate. At times, he can be too patient, shown by a remarkable 43 walks in 28 June games. He changed his approach in the final two months at Sacramento, hitting 15 home runs in the season's final 50 games by focusing more on working himself into hitter's counts, as opposed to simply trying to draw walks. Primarily a center fielder in the minors, he has no better than average speed and will have to play on a corner in the majors. He's still learning to channel his intensity and can be too hard on himself, leading to extended slumps. The A's saved $14 million by declining Jermaine Dye's option, all but handing Swisher a starting job in 2005. He had thumb surgery in October and should be 100 percent for spring training. The A's think Swisher can match Dye's production immediately. He should be the first of the "Moneyball" picks to contribute at the big league level and is a prime candidate for 2005 Rookie of the Year honors.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #6 prospect in 2004
  The A's made Swisher their No. 1 target in the 2002 draft and were ecstatic to get him 16th overall. His father Steve was a first-rounder in June 1973 and an all-star catcher in 1976. Nick's transition to pro ball has been erratic. He struggled in his pro debut and again after a promotion to Double-A last year. Swisher works deep counts and can hit once he gets there. He has plus power potential from both sides of the plate. He has excellent instincts and an average arm in the outfield, and could be a Gold Glover at first base. But he has struck out too much as a pro because pitchers have learned he'll chase offspeed pitches out of the zone. He's a below-average runner who may lack the speed for center field. Other teams don't like his power as much as the A's do. He's too hard on himself, which has hampered his ability to make adjustments. Swisher will return to Double-A in 2004. His supporters see him maturing into a player who combines patience, power and defense. His detractors see him as a player who doesn't profile as a standout at any position.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #11 prospect in 2003
  The A's coveted Swisher from the beginning of his junior season in 2002. He has the quality strike-zone knowledge they prize so highly, and they believe he'll hit for power and average while playing outstanding defense. He's the son of Steve Swisher, a former big league all-star who also was a first-round pick 29 years before Oakland took Nick 16th overall. A's scouting director Eric Kubota describes Swisher's defensive skills at first base as magical, but the organization wants to keep him in the outfield. He appears a step or two slow to be a center fielder, but he has ample speed and arm strength to be a plus defender on one of the corners. Some scouts question whether he has the true power to play there or at first base. But Swisher set the West Virginia high school record for single-season homers with 17, and he tied for the Big 10 Conference lead with 15 as a sophomore before hitting 10 last spring. He's a hard worker who's driven to become a major league star. The A's actually may have to convince Swisher to diminish his workload, as his extensive pregame workouts sometimes left him worn out by gametime.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #4 prospect in 2004
  Swisher couldn't be a more perfect fit for the Athletics, who emphasize power and plate discipline. He had the best plate discipline in the PCL, leading the minors with 103 walks, including a remarkable 43 in June. Called up in September to fill in for the injured Jermaine Dye, he reached base in seven of his first nine plate appearances. After hitting just 21 homers in his first 1 1/2 pro seasons, Swisher hit 29 in Triple-A. Eighteen of those homers came in the second half, when he became more aggressive at working counts to find a pitch to drive rather than just taking a walk. That power surge is a key to his future, because his future is on an outfield corner. Swisher played center field well enough in Sacramento, but his speed and range aren't up to major league standards. He'd be a Gold Glove candidate if Oakland moved him to first base. He's very competitive, along the lines of a Paul O'Neill, and did a better job channeling his intensity this year.
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  Ranked California League #12 prospect in 2003
  The son of former big league all-star Steve Swisher, Swisher soared to the top of the A's 2002 draft board after leading the Big Ten Conference in homers the previous spring and demonstrating command of the strike zone. A good athlete with tools to match his performance, Swisher played as expected in the Cal League. "He's got power from both sides and can play the outfield, left or center," Modesto manager Rick Rodriguez said. "As the season went on, you could see his confidence grow. He's a patient hitter. He wasn't afraid to hit with two strikes, but he's very confident at the plate and still very aggressive." When Swisher came out of college, other teams questioned whether he was a true center fielder and if he'd have enough power to play on an outfield corner. He continued to draw walks after a promotion to Double-A, but his average and power nosedived.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #24 prospect in 2005

• December, 2002 Scouting Report
  The A's coveted Swisher from the beginning of his junior season in 2002. He has the quality strike-zone knowledge they prize so highly, and they believe he'll hit for power and average while playing outstanding defense. He's the son of Steve Swisher, a former big league all-star who also was a first-round pick 29 years before Oakland took Nick 16th overall. A's scouting director Eric Kubota describes Swisher's defensive skills at first base as magical, but the organization wants to keep him in the outfield. He appears a step or two slow to be a center fielder, but he has ample speed and arm strength to be a plus defender on one of the corners. Some scouts question whether he has the true power to play there or at first base. But Swisher set the West Virginia high school record for single-season homers with 17, and he tied for the Big 10 Conference lead with 15 as a sophomore before hitting 10 last spring. He's a hard worker who's driven to become a major league star. The A's actually may have to convince Swisher to diminish his workload, as his extensive pregame workouts sometimes left him worn out by gametime.