NC State left-handed pitcher Nick Swiney was selected 67th overall in the second compensation round of the MLB draft by the San Francisco Giants. Swiney was the second Wolfpack player taken, and will be joining his college catcher Patrick Bailey in the Giants farm system after he was selected 13th overall in the first round.
Swiney will now have the honor of being the highest Wolfpack pitcher selected in the MLB draft since 2014, when Carlos Rodon was selected third overall by the Chicago White Sox.
The Huntersville native who was projected to go anywhere from the late first round to the second round was the ninth left-handed pitcher selected in the draft. Having been selected 67th overall, Swiney’s approximate value is worth $976,000, according to MLB.com.
The 2020 All-American was undefeated in four starts his junior season. In 28 innings pitched Swiney had a 1.29 ERA with 42 strikeouts. During his first two seasons in Raleigh, he was used mainly as a reliever, pitching 86.2 innings with 128 strikeouts.
“Professional teams wanted to see me as a starter, and just how I could excel there,” Swiney said in a press conference on June 1. “Just because that was something not on my resume yet. Everybody had seen me out of the bullpen, but I hadn’t had a true seven, eight-inning start.”
With a fastball that sits in the low 90s to go with a nasty curveball and changeup, Swiney truly has a great three-pitch arsenal. This is something that projects well for big league clubs.
Swiney’s first year in the Giants organization will be the first year that new manager Gabe Kapler will be in charge. Kapler was fired after two years in Philadelphia with the Phillies after he had a combined record of 161-163.
According to MLB.com, there is only one left-handed pitcher in the top-10 prospects ranking in the Giants farm system. That being said it is clear that Swiney is filling a need for the future of that organization.
With the MLB draft being moved from 40 to five rounds because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a few draft hopefuls, including Devonte Brown and Tyler McDonough from NC State did not hear their name called. Since both players still have collegiate eligibility left, they can go back to school for another year or they can sign with a MLB team for up to $20,000.
