Dansby Swanson

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #1 prospect in 2017
  Winning has become synonymous with Swanson since he was a dual-sport athlete at Marietta High in suburban Atlanta. He was part of two state championships in basketball and was a member of the East Cobb Yankees, a team that won the 2012 Perfect Game national championship. After opting to attend Vanderbilt despite being drafted by the Rockies in the 38th round in 2012, Swanson overcame a broken foot and a shoulder injury as a freshman, then led the Commodores to the program's first College World Series national championship as a sophomore in 2014. He earned CWS Most Outstanding Player honors while hitting .323. He moved from second base to shortstop as a junior and helped guide Vandy back to the CWS finals in 2015. That month the Diamondbacks made Swanson the first overall pick in the draft. Hit in the face by a pitch during a simulated game, he bounced back in time to be part of short-season Hillsboro's Northwest League championship in his pro debut. Three months later, Arizona sent Swanson, outfielder Ender Inciarte and righthander Aaron Blair to the Braves for righthander Shelby Miller and low Class A lefthander Gabe Speier. He proceeded to tear up the high Class A Carolina League for a month in 2016 before moving on to the Double-A Southern League, where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the circuit. He made his major league debut as Atlanta's starting shortstop on Aug. 17, stroking two hits in four at-bats against the Twins. He batted 129 times, thus retaining his rookie eligibility for 2017 by just two at-bats. Braves scouting director Brian Bridges got to know Swanson well during the latter's high school career and loved everything the shortstop brought to the table at a young age. Rated by SL managers as the league's best defensive shortstop, Swanson has outstanding quickness with exceptional range, soft and steady hands, and above-average arm strength with excellent accuracy on his throws. He uses his intelligence and superior feel for the game to anticipate plays, which helped him lead all minor league shortstops with an average of 3.27 assists per game in 2016. His cerebral approach is also noticeable on offense, where he uses his above-average speed to take the extra base. An ideal No. 2 hitter, Swanson makes hard and consistent contact with his advanced approach at the plate. His patience and feel for the strike zone allow him to work counts and pile up walks. He also is capable of executing the hit-and-run and driving the ball to all fields, and he should have at least average power once he gains more experience at the game's top level. The biggest question scouts have is how much his power will play to go along with a fairly high strikeout rate going back to his Vanderbilt days. Swanson looked the part as Atlanta's long-term answer at shortstop over the final seven weeks of the 2016 campaign. While he may not put up the kind of numbers to garner perennial MVP consideration, his steady and consistent performance on the field and his overall makeup and personality off it, while playing his home games in the county where he was born, make Swanson a natural fit for a rebuilding organization. He's positioned to be a face for the franchise as its starting shortstop for years to come.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #1 prospect in 2016
  To say that 2015 was an eventful year for Swanson is an understatement. The Vanderbilt shortstop learned of his selection by the Diamondbacks as the No. 1 overall pick during the on-field celebration after the Commodores clinched their NCAA super regional at Illinois. Before signing with Arizona, Swanson returned to the College World Series for a second straight year, with Vanderbilt losing to Virginia after defeating the Cavaliers in the championship round in 2014. His college career had begun after he turned down a chance to sign with the Rockies, who drafted him in the 38th round in 2012. Swanson was limited to 11 games in his freshman year due to various injuries, but he hit the national stage the next season when he was named the Most Outstanding Player at the CWS as Vandy's starting second baseman. He transitioned to shortstop for his junior year and projects to stay at the position long-term. While scouting director Deric Ladnier said he had settled on Swanson as the top pick in February, it took the D-backs until the signing deadline to sign him for $6.5 million. The start of his pro career was delayed after he was hit in the face with a pitch delivered by righthander Yoan Lopez in a simulated game at Arizona's training complex, resulting in lacerations and a mild concussion. He finally reported in August to short-season Hillsboro, where he remained for the rest of the summer and helped the Hops win the Northwest League championship, before returning to Arizona in September to participate in instructional league. With the Hops, Swanson hit .289/.394/.482 with seven doubles, three triples and one home run. And although he didn't tear the cover off the ball in the playoffs, Swanson drew six walks, the most of anyone in the four-team Northwest League tournament. He also had a five-hit game on Sept. 3 against Boise. Swanson projects to be an above-average to plus big league player, with outstanding leadership qualities, ease of operation and off-the-charts makeup. A well-rounded player with no significant weaknesses in his toolkit, Swanson helps his team in every aspect of the game and handles pressure well. Offensively, he is a patient hitter with an advanced approach at the plate. A prototypical No. 2 hitter, he uses a quick, compact line drive swing that will produce plenty of doubles but also with enough power to project 10-15 home runs per year in the big leagues. He's a plus runner with the smarts to collect his share of stolen bases. Already rated as the best defensive infielder in the system, Swanson has the athleticism and instincts to be a solid defender with an accurate, average arm that plays up because he gets rid of the ball quickly. Most importantly, Swanson brings a "top-step" mentality to the field. Like the D-backs' 2009 firstround pick and current center fielder A.J. Pollock, Swanson has premium makeup that will allow his tools to consistently play up. Swanson should make a rapid ascent through the system. He would have advanced to high Class A Visalia in his debut if not for the injury he sustained in the simulated game, and he'll head to the California League in 2016 for his full-season debut. He could get to Double-A Mobile at some point in the season. Swanson is Arizona's shortstop of the near future, with perennial all-star potential. Conservatively, Swanson should reach the big leagues by 2017, but he has the all-around game to potentially accelerate that timetable to reach the majors in 2016.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #2 prospect in 2015 draft
  A two-time state champion as a basketball player in high school, Swanson didn't sign as a 38th-round pick of the Rockies in 2012. A broken foot and shoulder injury limited Swanson to just 11 games as a freshman at Vanderbilt. But he returned to full health as a sophomore and helped lead the Commodores to their first-ever national championship. He was named Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series and finished the summer with a strong showing for Team USA. Swanson again has produced at the plate this spring, but his most important development has been defensively. After playing second base as a sophomore, he has smoothly transitioned to shortstop for Vanderbilt. He has the athleticism, range and hands necessary for the position. Whether he has a true plus arm remains the subject of some debate, but scouts project he'll stay at shortstop as a professional. Swanson is a well-rounded hitter. He has a quick, loose swing that allows him to produce hard contact to all fields. He is a patient hitter who knows how to work a walk and has a sound two-strike approach. He has some pop in his bat, especially when he can turn on the ball but gears his swing more for hitting line drives. He is a plus runner and knows how to steal bases. Swanson earns praise for his makeup and work ethic.
• Ranked #138 prospect in 2012 draft
  Swanson has had a storybook career at Marietta High, serving two seasons as captain of the basketball team in addition to three seasons of varsity baseball--one as a teammate of 2010 Angels first-round pick Chevez Clarke. Swanson has shown the athletic ability and smooth infield actions that should allow him to stay at shortstop, at least in college. His arm strength may be shy for short as a pro, though other scouts think he'll be a more consistent thrower with more distance from basketball and added strength. An above-average runner, Swanson has good instincts and quick-twitch athleticism. Scouts also like his simple, fundamental swing. The downside is the 6-foot-1, 175-pounder's lack of strength and contact-focused approach. Swanson is a strong student with a GPA north of 4.0, so scouts expect him to follow through on his commitment to Vanderbilt, unlike fellow Georgia prep Matt Olson, another Vandy signee.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Southern League #1 prospect in 2016
  The Diamondbacks made Swanson the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, only to trade him to the Braves for Shelby Miller five months later. While Miller fizzled in Arizona, Swanson moved in the opposite direction. Swanson, who grew up in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta, Ga., began the season at high Class A Carolina but quickly hit his way to Mississippi on April 30 and then to Atlanta on Aug. 17. He is a well-rounded player whose ability to hit, run and defend stand above his other tools. Swanson profiles as a first-division shortstop and probable No. 2 hitter. Swanson produces hard contact to all fields and exercises the patience to draw walks, making him at least an above-average hitter. He drives most of his extra-base hits to his pull side and has average power. His plus speed will enhance his offensive value by helping him take extra bases, including the occasional steal. SL managers recognized Swanson as the circuit's best defensive shortstop, lauding him for his above-average range and arm. He led all full-season minor league shortstops with a rate of 3.27 assists per game. "He's way more mature defensively than anybody else in the league at the position," Biloxi manager Mike Guerrero said.
• 
  Ranked Northwest League #1 prospect in 2015
  After a standout college career at Vanderbilt that resulted in one College World Series title followed by a runner-up finish, Swanson went No. 1 overall in the 2015 draft and signed with the Diamondbacks at the deadline for $6.5 million. He overcame a concussion he sustained after being hit in the face with a pitch in an intraquad game to finish his first pro stint strong in the NWL. Swanson has the athleticism and hands to play shortstop--and just enough arm. He gets rid of the ball quickly and his throws are accurate, and he can throw from multiple angles but maintain his arm slot. Outside of speed and makeup, Swanson doesn't have plus tools but draws praise as an intelligent hitter. He doesn't have great bat speed, but has good gap power with a cap of about 10-15 homers when he reaches his peak. He is a patient hitter who adjusts his approach according to the situation. Scouts and managers say he has the "winning gene" and is a player who despite his pro inexperience already is seen as a leader with a top-step mentality. "His intensity is through the roof," one NWL evaluator said, "especially for the No. 1 pick. He has a desire to be really good."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #3 prospect in 2017
• Ranked Baseball America's #17 prospect in 2016

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Winning has become synonymous with Swanson since he was a dual-sport athlete at Marietta High in suburban Atlanta. He was part of two state championships in basketball and was a member of the East Cobb Yankees, which won the 2012 Perfect Game national championship. After opting to attend Vanderbilt despite being drafted by the Rockies in the 38th round in 2012, Swanson overcame a broken foot and a shoulder injury as a freshman to lead the Commodores to the program's first College World Series national championship as a sophomore in 2014, when he earned CWS Most Outstanding Player honors. He moved from second base to shortstop as a junior and helped guide Vandy back to the CWS Finals in 2015. That month the Diamondbacks made him the first overall pick in the draft. Hit in the face by a pitch during a simulated game, Swanson bounced back in time to be part of short-season Hillsboro's Northwest League championship in his pro debut. Three months later, Arizona sent Swanson, outfielder Ender Inciarte and righthander Aaron Blair to the Braves for righthander Shelby Miller and low Class A lefthander Gabe Speier. He proceeded to tear up the high Class A Carolina League for a month in 2016, before moving on to the Double-A Southern League, where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the circuit. He made his major league debut as Atlanta's starting shortstop on Aug. 17, stroking two hits in four at-bats against the Twins. Scouting Report: Braves scouting director Brian Bridges got to know Swanson well during the latter's high school career and loved everything the shortstop brought to the table at a young age. Rated by SL managers as the league's best defensive shortstop, Swanson has outstanding quickness with exceptional range, soft and steady hands, and above-average arm strength with excellent accuracy on his throws. He uses his intelligence and superior feel for the game to anticipate plays, which helped him lead all minor league shortstops with an average of 3.27 assists per game in 2016. His cerebral approach is also noticeable on offense, where he uses his above-average speed to take the extra base. An ideal No. 2 hitter, Swanson makes hard and consistent contact with his advanced approach at the plate. His patience and feel for the strike zone allow him to work counts and pile up walks. He also is capable of executing the hit-and-run and driving the ball to all fields, and he should have at least average power once he gains more experience at the game's top level. The biggest question scouts have is how much his power will play to go along with a fairly high strikeout rate going back to his Vanderbilt days.
  
  The Future: Swanson looked the part as Atlanta's long-term answer at shortstop over the final seven weeks of the 2016 campaign. While he may not put up the kind of numbers to garner perennial MVP consideration, his steady and consistent performance on the field and his overall makeup and personality off it, while playing his home games in the county where he was born, make Swanson a natural fit for a rebuilding organization. He's positioned to be a face for the franchise as its starting shortstop for years to come.