BP Top Prospects: Boston Red Sox

1. C Blake Swihart
2. LHP Henry Owens
3. CF Manuel Margot
4. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez
5. 3B Rafael Devers
6. INF Michael Chavis
7. RHP Matt Barnes
8. 3B/OF Garin Cecchini
9. LHP Brian Johnson
10. RHP Michael Kopeck

1. Blake Swihart

Position: C
DOB: 04/03/1992
Height/Weight: 6’1” 175 lbs
Bats/Throws: S/R
Drafted/Acquired: 1st round, 2011 draft, V Sue Cleveland HS (Rio Rancho, NM)
Previous Ranking: #6 (Org), #73 (Top 101)
2014 Stats: .261/.282/.377 at Triple-A Pawtucket (18 games), .300/.353/.487 at Double-A Portland (92 games)
The Tools: 6 potential hit; 5 potential power; 6+ potential arm; 6 potential glove

What Happened in 2014: The backstop took a big step forward both offensively and defensively at Double-A, where he showed the ability to create a lot of solid contact and heavily control the running game, and he now sits one step from The Show. 

Strengths: Athletic; fast-twitch muscle; good present strength; room to add a bit more; smooth, fluid stroke from both sides of the plate; loose hands; excellent bat control; works to keep weight back when unfolding; drives ball well into both gaps, especially left-handed; creates carry and loft right-handed; learning how to muscle up and tap into power as lefty; willing to use the whole field; quick feet; fires well out of crouch; excellent reflexes; firm glove hand; can pop 1.87-1.90 consistently; excellent makeup; high baseball IQ; driven to succeed.

Weaknesses: Body needs continued development to handle rigors of position and avoid nagging injuries; can be slow with release at times; inconsistent staying down when trying to smother offerings; ball control must improve to reach full defensive potential; left-handed swing a bit flat; can struggle to drop head and turn on offerings middle-in; will yank head of bat and roll over; backside can cave against spin away when hitting lefty; power strictly of the pull-side variety from both sides of plate; likely to lose some speed and athleticism into late 20s due to demands of position.

Overall Future Potential: High 6; first-division player/occasional all-star

Realistic Role: High 5; solid-average regular

Risk Factor/Injury History: Low risk; 18 games in Triple-A; bat playing down due to physical demands of position.

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: There’s always risk investing in catching prospects in dynasty leagues, but Swihart’s proximity, floor with the bat, and strong makeup help mitigate that as much as it’s possible. The potential for a .280-hitting backstop with 15 homers is certainly worth the risk though, and is what makes Swihart a top-three fantasy catching prospect.

The Year Ahead: The theme for the 22-year-old in 2014, from both sources and our looks throughout the year, was “improvement.” Swihart took some strong steps forward, really putting his skills together while also proving he was more than up to the difficult jump into the Eastern League. The backstop does a bit of everything and offers a well-rounded package that can impact both sides of the ball. His hit tool has continued to show tangible progress, as the loose hands and evolution of his approach have helped create hard contact to all fields and allowed him to tap into his power. Peak seasons for Swihart can very well approach .280s averages with 35ish doubles and 15-plus home runs. Along with the bat, the defense has also moved forward, with a steady game behind the dish highlighted by strong receiving skills and an arm that can control the running game. This is a player who can potentially hit as high as the two-hole in a contending team’s lineup, while providing above-average defense and slotting in as a core contributor for a handful of seasons. There is risk that the bat plays down some due to the physical demands and nature of the position, but Swihart’s makeup offers strong clues that adjustments and continued growth will be there as he builds major-league experience. This season will allow the switch-hitter to put the finishing touches on his minor-league career in Triple-A, with a debut likely at some point toward the end of the season.

Major league ETA: Late 2015