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| Anthony Swarzak | |
|---|---|
| Name | Anthony Swarzak |
| Position | Pitcher |
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| Birth date | 23 November 1985 |
| Birth place | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Debutleague | MLB |
| Debutdate | April 2 |
| Debutyear | 2009 |
| Debutteam | Minnesota Twins |
| Finalleague | MLB |
| Finaldate | September 29 |
| Finalyear | 2019 |
| Finalteam | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Statleague | MLB |
| Stat1label | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value | 30–34 |
| Stat2label | Earned run average |
| Stat2value | 4.50 |
| Stat3label | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value | 545 |
Anthony Swarzak is an American former professional Major League Baseball pitcher who played for multiple MLB teams from 2009 through 2019. Known for a lengthy minor league development and a journeyman major league tenure, he made contributions as a starter and reliever with organizations associated with Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and New York Mets. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his career intersected with numerous notable players, front-office moves, and postseason narratives across American League and National League contexts.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he attended Cleveland Heights High School and played high school baseball in the Greater Cleveland area while competing against prospects from programs such as St. Ignatius High School (Cleveland), University School (Cleveland), and Glenville High School. He continued his amateur career at Cleveland State University before transferring to Southwest Tennessee Community College and later pitching for Iona College in New Rochelle, New York. During collegiate summers he logged innings in wooden-bat leagues alongside future professionals from Cape Cod Baseball League rosters and other amateur circuits that have produced MLB players like Buster Posey, Joe Mauer, Paul Goldschmidt, and Andrew McCutchen. His performance in college attracted attention from scouts representing organizations including Minnesota Twins scouting department, New York Yankees scouting department, and Boston Red Sox scouting department.
Drafted out of college in the Major League Baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins in the second round, he began a pro career that included stops with minor league affiliates such as the Elizabethton Twins, Fort Myers Miracle, New Britain Rock Cats, and Rochester Red Wings. After progressing through the Minor League Baseball ladder, he made his MLB debut for the Minnesota Twins in 2009, joining rotations featuring teammates like Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, and Joe Mauer. Injuries and roster moves led to multiple transactions: he was later traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, signed minor league deals with the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox, and was acquired by the Seattle Mariners and New York Mets in waiver or trade transactions alongside players connected to franchises such as Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres via broader trade activity. His tenure with the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers included both starting assignments and bullpen roles during seasons that intersected with playoff races involving clubs like the Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. During the 2016–2019 period he also spent time with the Cleveland Indians organization and international winter league clubs that often feature MLB talent from Venezuela and Dominican Republic.
A right-handed pitcher, he featured a repertoire centered on a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup, mixing pitches in patterns similar to contemporaries such as Zack Greinke, Chris Sale, and Max Scherzer in pitch sequencing though with different velocity profiles. Scouting reports from Baseball America, Fangraphs, and MLB.com documented velocity ranges, spin rates, and pitch usage that evolved with coaching inputs from staffs including those of the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and New York Mets. His statistical record includes decisions, strikeouts, walks, WHIP, FIP, and ERA metrics compiled across Major League Baseball seasons; advanced analytics placed him variably as a league-average to below-average run-prevention performer in seasons affected by injury and role changes. Career totals include over 500 strikeouts and innings pitched across starts and relief appearances in matchups against lineups from clubs such as New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago Cubs.
Raised in the Cleveland metropolitan area, he has familial connections to local communities and participated in philanthropic efforts often coordinated with MLBPA programs and team foundations such as the Twins Community Fund and charitable initiatives tied to franchises like the White Sox Charities. Off the field he engaged with youth baseball clinics in regions including Minnesota, Ohio, and Illinois, working alongside former and current professionals like Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Paul Konerko, and Frank Thomas. His personal interests include fitness regimens aligned with Major League Baseball Players Association conditioning norms and offseason training at facilities used by players from USA Baseball and collegiate programs.
Over his career he earned recognitions at the minor league level such as organizational pitching awards from the Minnesota Twins and selections to prospect lists by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. He featured on prospect rankings alongside future All-Stars like David Price, Zack Greinke, and Clayton Kershaw during various preseason publications. Additionally, he participated in roster moves and milestone games that placed him on lists of players reaching career benchmarks tracked by Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs.
Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Baseball players from Cleveland