Giants select LHP Nick Swiney with 67th overall pick

The San Francisco Giants selected Nick Swiney with the 67th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft on Thursday.

Swiney is a left-handed pitcher from North Carolina State. He was battery mates with the Giants first-round pick, North Carolina State catcher Patrick Bailey.

The Giants used their third of seven picks on Swiney. It came in the compensation round, as one of two picks the Giants have as their payment for losing Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith in free agency.

The lefty is 21.3 years old, 6’3, and 181 pounds. He was ranked 44th on ESPN’s big board, and 51st on Fangraphs, with both publications giving him a future value of 40+.

Here was Kiley McDaniel’s notes on Swiney:

This lefty took a step forward this spring, throwing a low-90s heater, plus a changeup and an improved, above average-to-plus breaker.

And here’s some notes from MLB’s big board, which had Swiney 78th:

Working out of the rotation, Swiney showed an 87-93 mph fastball with modest life and an average to plus curveball. As a reliever in the past, he sat in the low 90s and topped out at 95 with his heater and backed it up with a wipeout curve. His changeup was a revelation this spring, showing signs of becoming a plus offering with deceptive fade.

Swiney slashed his walk rate from 5.0 per nine innings in his first two years to 1.9 in his shortened third. There’s still some question as to whether he can throw quality strikes and maintain his stuff over a long season because his delivery features effort.

Here are the Giants picks so far, and their remaining selections:

#13 — Patrick Bailey, C, North Carolina State
#49 — Casey Schmitt, 3B/RHP, San Diego State
#67 — Nick Swiney, LHP, North Carolina State
#68
#85
#114
#144