The Atlanta Braves pulled a win against the New York Mets on Friday night. Dansby Swanson played a big part in leading the team to the 3-2 victory. His double in the ninth inning was a surprise for the Mets center fielder, Curtis Granderson. According to WSB-TV, Granderson states that Swanson “had already made the turn before I got to the ball.” His double hitter was extremely important in order for Rio Ruiz, a pinch-hitter, to send Swanson to score at home plate. According to ESPN, Swanson’s batting average Friday night was .215, and his projected average for the season is .212.
A look into Swanson’s early life
James Dansby Swanson was born on February 11, 1994 in Kennesaw, Georgia. His immediate family all have an athletic background. In fact, his father and brother played baseball in college, his mother played college tennis and basketball, and his sister played softball. Swanson played baseball at Marietta High School.
Growing up in the metro area, Swanson has always enjoyed sports, such as the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, and especially the Atlanta Braves. In 2012, he was drafted in the 38th round by the Colorado Rockies, but he decided to attend college at Vanderbilt University instead. He was in the running for the Golden Spikes national player of the year at Vanderbilt University.
He also helped take the team to a national championship in 2014. Swanson still wanted to play Major League Baseball, so he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015.
Swanson’s Atlanta Braves career
The Arizona Diamondbacks traded Dansby Swanson, as well as two other players to the Atlanta Braves. He was then sent to the Class A Advanced Carolina League, which is part of the minors.
In August of 2016, Swanson was moved up to the major leagues and had his first career hit playing for the Atlanta Braves against the Minnesota Twins.
Swanson plays shortstop for the Atlanta Braves and seems to be thriving. Swanson was actually supposed to have his debut a few weeks earlier, but he was hit in the face with a pitch by Yoan Lopez who is a right-handed Cuban pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Atlanta Braves manager has been impressed with Swanson from the start. Fans, as well as the Braves staff, has high hopes for Swanson, and the team in the seasons to come. According to WSB-TV, after the game on Friday night Brian Snitker says, Swanson is “a kid who comes out of the box thinking two. That's a baseball player."
