FORT MYERS, Fla. — If you squint, it remains easy to imagine Blake Swihart as a rare sort of catcher based on his ability to make steady, resounding contact that sends line drives all over the field, and his unusual impact on the bases.
There is a reason why, when the Red Sox signed Yoan Moncada to his record-setting bonus in 2015, most publications had the Cuban ranked behind Swihart as a prospect. There is a reason why, after Swihart’s strong performance in the second half of 2015, evaluators projected him as a player with the potential to become an All-Star.