GRANVILLE — After signing a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, first-round draft pick Travis Swaggerty is headed to the West Virginia Black Bears.
Swaggerty was selected with the 10th overall pick in the MLB draft and will open his professional career with the Black Bears.
The highly touted outfielder enters the Pirates’ farm system after three years at the University of South Alabama. The Louisiana native finished his junior season batting .296 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs while drawing an eye-popping 54 walks.
Swaggerty’s selection is only the fifth time a South Alabama player was chosen in the first round of the draft. He’s regarded by many as one of the best all-around prospects in this year’s class, including MLB Pipeline reporter Jim Callis.
“We are thrilled to welcome Travis and his family into our organization today” Pirates Senior Director of Scouting Joe DelliCarri said. “We are looking forward to the opportunity for our development staff to work with Travis’ physical skill sets, in combination with his strong grit and determination, in maximizing all his abilities during his path to playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.”
Swaggerty is the first top-10 pick by the Pirates since Austin Meadows was drafted ninth overall, in 2013. Meadows also spent time in the Black Bears organization, in 2016, playing five games with the team on a rehab stint.
SCRAPPERS 9, BLACK BEARS 3
NILES, Ohio (AP) — Mitch Reeves hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, leading Mahoning Valley over West Virginia.
The home run by Reeves started the scoring in a five-run inning and tied the game 3-3. Later in the inning, Mahoning Valley took the lead when Elvis Perez hit an RBI triple and then added to it when Jason Rodriguez and Jose Fermin hit RBI singles.
The Scrappers later added two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth. In the seventh, Henry Pujols and Perez each drove in a run, while Gabriel Mejia scored on a forceout in the eighth.
Randy Valladares (1-0) got the win in relief while West Virginia starter Osvaldo Bido (0-1) took the loss in the New York-Penn League game.
