Nothing like a little fear to motivate a player. Just ask
Cleveland (Rio Rancho, N.M.) catcher
Blake Swihart.
Playing at Rio Rancho (N.M.) as a freshman, Swihart had just gone out for the baseball team after finishing up basketball season. Facing a pitcher who was throwing about 93 miles per hour, Swihart knew that he had few options if he wanted to make the team.
"He had two strikes on me and had me expecting a slider because he had struck me out earlier in the game on that pitch," said Swihart. "I recognized that it was a fastball. I was scared that I wouldn't get to play on the varsity if I struck out again. I guess I really got around quickly because I ended up hitting a home run."
Blake Swihart, Cleveland
Photo by Kirt Winter
That type of hitting has become commonplace for Swihart, who has become one of the top catchers in the country and is ranked No. 7 in the MaxPreps Top 100, despite not taking up the position until his junior year. Swihart played first base his first two seasons at Rio Rancho before transferring to Cleveland as a junior. He immediately impressed new head coach Shane Shallenberger.
"Before Cleveland opened up, I was able to help his Rio Rancho team that won the state championship during Blake's sophomore year," said Shallenberger. "I was I was watching him hit right handed one day and he couldn't keep the ball in the yard, I thought man this kid is good. Then he went left handed and did the same thing. That is when I knew he was a special player"
Swihart's talents meant a summer filled with baseball. He was a member of Team USA 18U and he also played in the Aflac All-American Game as well as in the Area Code Games in Long Beach. However some of Swihart's lasting memories from the summer came away from the diamond.
"Visiting the children's hospital in San Diego was special," said Swihart. "Spending time building relationships with other players on all the teams. Watching the Korean players beat all of our scores in video games that we had played since we were children and they were just learning to play. Throwing alley oop passes to Bubba Starling while he and I took on the rest of Team USA in basketball in the evenings while we were staying at Thunder Bay."
Starling, ranked No. 1 in the MaxPreps 100, was one of several Team USA members that impressed Swihart this summer.
"The list seems endless with names like Henry Owens, Daniel Norris, Phillip Pfeifer, however Lance McCullers and Christian Montgomery were the two that really impressed me," said Swihart. "I got additional insight since I got to catch them as well as hit off of them."
The entire experience with Team USA also left a lasting impression.
"My most memoral moment was walking into the stadium while the National Anthem played at the World Championships in Thunder Bay knowing I was representing the USA," he said. "It still gives me goose bumps."
Swihart is coming off a season in which he hit .580 with 51 hits, 40 RBI, 12 home runs and seven doubles. Through the first 10 games of his senior year, Swihart was batting .629 with no strikeouts and a 1.229 slugging percentage. He also had a 1.8 pop time and had thrown out all three runners who had attempted to steal a base against him. He credits many of his coaches for teaching him the ropes.
"It starts with my brother, who is seven years older than me and never cut me any slack," said Swihart. "My dad has done a lot and my hitting coach Jason Columbus has refined my swing over the past two years. Ryan Kellner has been the architect of my career as he was the first to insist that I start switch hitting and then later started to work with me at catcher. Coach Ron Murphy had the faith to play me as a freshman at Rio Rancho and coach Shallenberger has continued to help me retain my skills at multiple positions as well as helping with all of the distractions that the team has faced because of the attention that we have gotten this year."
Swihart figures that Cleveland will challenge La Cueva, among others, for the 5A state crown in New Mexico.
"La Cueva is the defending state champions and has a great feeder program. They reload rather than rebuild," said Swihart. "We should be a top four team when it is all said and done. "We hit well, however this is only our second year as a school and we still play young. We will only go as far as our pitching takes us."
Despite all of the fanfare, Shallenberger says that Swihart maintains a down-to-earth attitude and focuses on school as well as sports.
"Blake is a special person on and off the field. He takes his grades very serious and is a 4.0 student," said Shallenberger. "He also helps with young and up-coming baseball players and umpires games for them on the weekends. He has also volunteered his time to talk to elementary schools about bullying. If there is ever help needed, Blake is there."
Like many top high school players, Swihart has a dilemma to face come June - sign with a professional team that drafts him or go to college. Either way, it seems to be a win-win situation for Swihart.
"I have committed and signed to play for the school of my dreams the University of Texas," said Swihart. "My family bleeds burnt orange. We have a burnt orange bedroom and I can't wait to see my name on a locker and get to hear my name called as I step in the box or run onto the field."
While the excitement of becoming a Longhorn for Swihart is palpable, the thought of being drafted is humbling.
"It is an unbelievable honor to be talked about in that manner. I still can't believe that people even know my name," he said. "I mean every 8 year old dream of those kinds of things. I really don't have the vocabulary to put into words except to say that it's kind of overwhelming and humbling at the same time."
