AB | 471 |
---|---|
AVG | .24 |
OBP | .366 |
SLG | .454 |
HR | 28 |
- Full name Kyle Joseph Schwarber
- Born 03/05/1993 in Middletown, OH
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 229 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Indiana
- Debut 06/16/2015
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Drafted in the 1st round (4th overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2014 (signed for $3,125,000).
View Draft Report
Recruited by some Big 10 Conference schools to play middle linebacker, Schwarber instead brought his fierce physicality and power to the middle of the diamond, anchoring Indiana's lineup for the last three seasons. His 18 homers in 2013 ranked third in the country and helped the Hoosiers become the first Big Ten team to reach the College World Series since 1984. Listed at 6-feet, 240 pounds, Schwarber has made considerable improvement defensively over the course of his Indiana career, carrying over some hard-learned lessons when he struggled handling velocity with USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team last summer. He still stabs and boxes too many balls, and a long transfer can sabotage his solid-average arm strength, but he's thrown out 33 percent of basestealers this season after nabbing just 19 percent in 2013. His leadership qualities have been evident with the Hoosiers and he has a strong, durable body for catching, but he'll never be more than a fringe-average defender. Schwarber fits in the first round for his bat. He's a smart hitter who studies pitchers and has tremendous strength to punish pitches to all fields. He's thick and could be quicker on pitches inside with a trimmer physique. He's a better athlete than he looks and is even a fringy runner with the aggressiveness to have stolen eight bases this spring, second on Indiana's team. His athleticism gives him a chance to shift to left field if catching doesn't work out.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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As a sophomore, Schwarber led Indiana to the 2013 College World Series, leading the first Big Ten Conference team to Omaha since Barry Larkin's 1984 Michigan club. The Cubs drafted him fourth overall in 2014, signing him for a $3.125 million bonus that was nearly $1.5 million below slot, savings the Cubs passed on to pitchers. Then Schwarber destroyed pro pitching in his debut, hitting 19 home runs (counting the playoffs) over three levels. He has thick, strong legs and swings from the ground up, incorporating his powerful lower half to deliver plus power with a short, furious, lefthanded stroke. He keeps his hands back and has the strength to hit the ball out to any part of the park. He has some movement in his load, a timing mechanism that may cause him issues going forward, but he has the savvy to adjust and has a .300-hitting, 30-homer ceiling. A college catcher, Schwarber has leadership skills and solid-average arm strength, but his receiving was rudimentary as an amateur, and he frequently dropped to one knee to handle breaking balls. The Cubs worked him exclusively behind the plate in instructional league, where his competitiveness and energy--even at the end of a very long season--made him a clubhouse leader. He has the tools to be a capable left fielder, having shown instincts for the position. With his bat, Schwarber--an average runner underway--could move quickly as an outfielder. The Cubs intend to catch him, with some club officials giving him a 50/50 shot to stay there, while sources outside the system aren't as sanguine. The offseason plan is for Schwarber to open as the Double-A Tennessee catcher, but the plan could change in spring training.
Draft Prospects
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Recruited by some Big 10 Conference schools to play middle linebacker, Schwarber instead brought his fierce physicality and power to the middle of the diamond, anchoring Indiana's lineup for the last three seasons. His 18 homers in 2013 ranked third in the country and helped the Hoosiers become the first Big Ten team to reach the College World Series since 1984. Listed at 6-feet, 240 pounds, Schwarber has made considerable improvement defensively over the course of his Indiana career, carrying over some hard-learned lessons when he struggled handling velocity with USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team last summer. He still stabs and boxes too many balls, and a long transfer can sabotage his solid-average arm strength, but he's thrown out 33 percent of basestealers this season after nabbing just 19 percent in 2013. His leadership qualities have been evident with the Hoosiers and he has a strong, durable body for catching, but he'll never be more than a fringe-average defender. Schwarber fits in the first round for his bat. He's a smart hitter who studies pitchers and has tremendous strength to punish pitches to all fields. He's thick and could be quicker on pitches inside with a trimmer physique. He's a better athlete than he looks and is even a fringy runner with the aggressiveness to have stolen eight bases this spring, second on Indiana's team. His athleticism gives him a chance to shift to left field if catching doesn't work out.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The Cubs have sent a hard-hitting, first-round position prospect through the SL in each of the past three seasons. Schwarber in 2015 followed the trail blazed by shortstop Javier Baez in 2013 and third baseman Kris Bryant in 2014. He led the SL with a .438 on-base percentage at the time the Cubs promoted him out of the league on June 16. By July he had taken up permanent residence as the big club's No. 2 hitter--first playing catcher; later left field--as Chicago pursued a National League wild card. Schwarber draws high grades for his batting skill, projecting as at least an average hitter with plus power and plus on-base skills. He looks for a pitch to drive--never feeling for the ball--and frequently connects for hard contact with plus bat speed through the zone. His leveraged stroke produces power to all fields, and he doesn't need to square up the ball to hit for extra bases. As with most lefthanded batters, Schwarber can be flummoxed by same-side spin or sliders down-and-in from righthanders, and his strikeout rate climbed toward 30 percent at Triple-A Iowa and in the majors. Evaluators who saw Schwarber catch in the SL gave him little chance to play the position regularly in the majors. He threw out 21 percent of basestealers but saw more attempts per game (1.7) than all but one SL catcher and allowed a higher rate of passed balls than any other regular backstop. -
The No. 4 overall pick, Schwarber had the best debut of any 2014 draft pick, swatting 18 home runs over three levels. He did it while spending the most time in the pitcher-friendly FSL while learning a new position (left field) and still mixing in catching. Schwarber combines terrific present strength with plus bat speed and an efficient swing. He has the plate discipline to dominate lower levels. As one league hitting coach put it, "When he impacts (the ball), it comes off different." League observers were mixed on Schwarber's defense. Some thought he had a chance to catch, and the Cubs sent him to instructional league to work on catching exclusively. Others thought left field was his only option, but he runs well enough to make the outfield work.
Top 100 Rankings
Career Transactions
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- United States activated LF Kyle Schwarber.