Former Tusculum Pioneers Ben Swaggerty Named Kansas City Royals Double A Pitcher of the Year.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- Former Tusculum College standout Ben Swaggerty ('07) has been named Pitcher of the Year for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, announced officials. Swaggerty has also been selected to participate in the 2009 Arizona Fall League, starting next week.
The Arizona Fall League is a prospect-heavy league that competes at five different Major League Baseball Spring Training sites. Swaggerty is one of only seven players from the Royals’ organization to be invited to participate in this prestigious league.
Swaggerty, who was signed as a non-drafted free agent with Kansas City in 2007, has been a solid performer in the Royals’ organization. This past summer, the left-handed pitcher posted a 3-1 record and a 3.57 earned run average in 22 outings with Northwest Arkansas.
Swaggerty started the year with the Class-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, where he posted a 3-1 record with two saves and a stellar 1.64 ERA.
Swaggerty started off the 2008 season with the Burlington Bees in the Midwest League where he posted a 1-0 mark in his 12 outings. He started his professional career in 2007 with the Idaho Falls Chukars in the Pioneer League as he went 1-0 with a 3.03 ERA. He made 24 appearances out of the bullpen, including a save with 51 strikeouts in his 35.2 innings of work.
Swaggerty, a native of Knoxville, Tenn., posted an impressive 5-0 record and a team-best six saves in his 24 appearances in his senior campaign at Tusculum. During that 2007 season, his save tally was 35th in the nation (NCAA Division II), while posting a 1.69 ERA with 61 strikeouts. He especially shined during TC’s postseason run, recording a pair of saves during the 2007 NCAA II South Regional. He tossed three innings in Tusculum’s 4-1 win over nine-time national champion Florida Southern College. The following day, he scattered two hits and struck out four in TC’s 7-6 win over nationally-ranked Florida Gulf Coast. He led the Pioneers to the championship game of the 2007 South Atlantic Conference Tournament. In his three appearances, he pitched eight innings, allowed two hits, struck out seven and recorded a save. For his efforts, he was named to the SAC All-Tournament Team.
During his collegiate career, Swaggerty appeared in 44 games, recorded 117 career strikeouts and posted an 8-2 record on the mound.