Blake Swihart to the Dbacks

[Ronin]

Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks)
4/19/19, 4:50 PM
Welcome to Arizona, ⁦‪@BLAKESWIHART_1‬⁩.

The #Dbacks have acquired the 27-year-old + international bonus pool money for the 2018-19 signing period from the Red Sox for outfielder Marcus Wilson. pic.twitter.com/pm26CkfUJX

 

[Ronin]

Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro)
4/19/19, 4:53 PM
Diamondbacks Assistant GM Amiel Sawdaye was the Red Sox scouting director when Swihart was drafted. GM Mike Hazen, AGM Jared Porter and manager Torey Lovullo also crossed paths with Swihart in Boston.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Yet another catcher?

 

[thirty-two]

Apparently he can play infield and outfield positions too. If true, that’s a lot of flexibility.

 

[Ronin]

Jeff Wiser (@OutfieldGrass24)
4/19/19, 5:06 PM
The dust hasn't even started to settle here, but it'll be interesting to see if Swihart clicks and if so, what does that do to Daulton Varsho's development plan.

 

[Ronin]

Zach Buchanan (@ZHBuchanan)
4/19/19, 5:09 PM
Correction: The Diamondbacks RECEIVED international bonus money. $500,000, per Mike Hazen twitter.com/ZHBuchanan/sta…

 

[Ronin]

Jack Magruder (@JackMagruder)
4/19/19, 5:07 PM
#Dbacks just acquired C Blake Swihart and international bonus pool money from Boston for minor league OF Marcus Wilson. Swihart also has played a little OF and some 1B. That’s four catchers once Avila returns from quad injury.

 

[Ronin]

Zach Buchanan (@ZHBuchanan)
4/19/19, 5:10 PM
Mike Hazen said Blake Swihart will probably play a lot of other positions than catcher in the foreseeable future. The catching group will remain as it is.

 

[Ronin]

Zach Buchanan (@ZHBuchanan)
4/19/19, 5:11 PM
Hazen wants to get Swihart's bat going.

 

[1Sun]

Another light-hitting back-up catcher? How many of those do we need?

 

[Ronin]

Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB)
4/19/19, 5:31 PM
#Dbacks GM Mike Hazen says Blake Swihart will not initially catch but rather move around -- left, right, third, maybe some second. They want to get his bat going first.

 

[Ronin]

Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale)
4/19/19, 5:41 PM
No surprise that #Dbacks GM Mike Hazen, formerly of the #Redsox, would pounce on Redsox catcher/utility man Blake Swihart. Huge upside.

 

[Dback Jon]

Meh

 

[1Sun]

Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB)
4/19/19, 5:31 PM
#Dbacks GM Mike Hazen says Blake Swihart will not initially catch but rather move around -- left, right, third, maybe some second. They want to get his bat going first.

So...Robbie Hammock part deux?

 

[Ronin]

Joshua Inman (@RoofNPanelsOpen)
4/19/19, 6:28 PM
Swihart is Hazen’s first major bet on an unproven player, and it is hedged with international pool money. I liked Wilson, but he hasn’t yet made that jump into top-tier prospectdom that everybody expected him too, and I doubt he will at this point

 

[AZCB34]

Another light-hitting back-up catcher? How many of those do we need?

At least one more?

 

[Brian]

Dumb. Just dumb.

I was reallllly afraid Hazen was going to do this when the Sox put him on waivers.

Look, if the Red Sox (who can't hit their way out of a wet paper bag right now) can't use him....that should tell you something.

Newsflash: Until the day comes that ANY of our three catchers get consistent, everyday AB's, none of them will produce.

 

[AZCB34]

Maybe Hazen is trying to field the very first all weak hitting catchers team in history?

 

[Matt L]

I think he has more upside than Caleb Joseph and he can be used to spell a corner outfielder or infielder too.

 

[Ronin]

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[BC867]

I think he has more upside than Caleb Joseph and he can be used to spell a corner outfielder or infielder too.

Steve just said that this will allow the D-backs to go with 2 Catchers. With Swihart available as a third, but not planned there regularly.

 

[Ronin]

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[BC867]

Why would we carry four active Catchers (including Swihart who can play corner positions, as well),
in addition to Alex Avila who is on the DL, and send down a relief pitcher?

As I wrote two posts earlier, Steve predicted on the air that we'd go with two Catchers plus Swihart.

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[Ronin]

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[Ronin]

Diamondbacks to activate Blake Swihart from injured list

https://arizonasports.com/story/2037802/diamondbacks-to-activate-blake-swihart-from-injured-list/