Oakland Prospect Finalizes Washington Roster
As reported by the Frontier League, the Washington Wild Things have signed RHP Jordan Schwartz from the Oakland Athletics. The New York native looks to build upon his 2016 campaign, where he made great strides as a professional.
Schwartz was an intriguing prospect during his collegiate time as a Niagara Purple Eagle. As a prospect always noted for his natural “stuff”, Schwartz made a big jump during his junior season; fanning 109 batters in only 95 innings and maintaining a 3.15 ERA over 14 starts. His 5 complete games not only led Niagara but also tied for the most in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Jordan was selected in the 4th round by the Oakland Athletics in 2014 and he quickly began his pro career in Vermont. The 6’2” 215lb RHP consistently flashed a mid-90’s fastball but battled some mechanical tweaks, which hampered his development. In 2016, Schwartz posted a career best 3.96 ERA while striking out 33 batters in over 36 innings. Over his 3 year career, Schwartz has continued to showcase his power “stuff” retiring 100 batters via strikes in 112 innings of work.
General Manager Steven Zavacky commented on the signing, “We look at Jordan’s situation and simply asked him to get back to his basics. We have no interest in tweaking or refining him to fit a mold. He should add some quality depth to the group we brought in for our rotation. There is a belief among scouts that there is some untapped potential in his arm and his signing is a gamble we are willing to take.”
Schwartz was signed to replace experienced RHP Matt Fraudin, who retired prior the 2017 season. Fraudin, an Upper St Clair graduate who resides in Peters Township, recently got engaged and looks forward to the next chapter in his life.
"Matt was a great local representative of the Wild Things. He gave so much of his free time to youth players in the area providing pitching lessons. We appreciate his dedication to our organization on and off the field but know he will be an active member of the baseball community moving forward. We wish nothing but the best to Matt, his fiance and the entire Fraudin family.", Zavacky added.
Join us for Opening Weekend May 19-22nd here at Wild Things Park! Tickets can be purchased online at www.washingtonwildthings.com or by calling the box office at 724-250-9555. #Celebrate15 all year long with us!
