Eastern Illinois has spawned just two position players ever taken in the top four rounds, first-rounders Tim Pyznarski (1981) and Stan Royer (1988). Sweeney should become the third after starting to break out as a sophomore in 2020, finishing second in the Coastal Plain League batting race (.397) last summer and making a run at the Ohio Valley Conference triple crown this spring. The OVC player of the year helped his cause by singling twice and lining out in three at-bats against Kansas State's Jordan Wicks, the best left-hander in the Draft, in front of a large group of scouts in March.
Sweeney has a big leg kick and a hitch and a lot going on in his left-handed stroke, but he has outstanding hand-eye coordination and makes the timing work at the plate. He has good feel for the barrel, controls the strike zone and makes hard contact to all fields against lefties and righties, good velocity and tough offspeed pitches. His hitting ability, arm strength and bat speed should produce at least average power, perhaps more if he adds more loft to his swing.
Sweeney's below-average speed limits his effectiveness at shortstop and will necessitate a position change at the next level. He has reliable hands and solid strength but doesn't cover enough ground at short. He profiles well at third base, should be able to handle any corner infield or outfield position and may be playable at second base.
The 2021 Ohio Valley Conference player of the year after slashing .372/.522/.712, Sweeney became the third first-rounder in Eastern Illinois that July, signing for $3 million as the 20th overall pick by the Yankees. New York had him make some swing changes designed to increase his power, but he hit just .248/.361/.429 while advancing to Double-A in his first two-plus years as a pro. When the Dodgers needed 40-man roster space last December, they acquired him for Victor González and infield prospect Jorbit Vivas, and after giving Sweeney run at Triple-A Oklahoma City, Los Angeles moved him again at the 2024 Trade Deadline, this time to the Tigers in a deal for Jack Flaherty.
Sweeney established himself as one of the better hitters in the 2021 college class, but he hasn’t reached those heights in the pro game, even while trying to get back to what worked with LA. Though he employed a sizeable leg kick and pronounced bat tip at Eastern Illinois, his uncanny hand-eye coordination permitted him to barrel balls and make a lot of hard contact from the left side of the plate. However, his strikeout rate climbed to 26.8 percent in the Pacific Coast League before the trade, allowing more concerns about his overall ability to hit to creep in.
Sweeney is deceptively athletic for a 6-foot-2, 212-pounder and has stayed at shortstop longer than most scouts expected. He has increased his speed from below average in college to average in pro ball, and he's even quicker once he gets going. He's an opportunistic basestealer with decent range, reliable hands and solid arm strength at short.
Sweeney established himself as one of the better college hitters in the 2021 Draft by finishing second in the Coastal Plain League batting race (.397) the previous summer before winning Ohio Valley Conference player of the year honors by slashing .382/.522/.712 as an Eastern Illinois junior. He followed Tim Pyznarski (1981) and Stan Royer (1988) as the third first-rounder in school history, signing for $3 million as the 20th overall selection by the Yankees. After a strong pro debut, he put together two so-so full seasons before getting traded to the Dodgers for Victor González and infield prospect Jorbit Vivas in December 2023, a move Los Angeles made in order to clear 40-man roster space.
Though Sweeney employs a big leg kick and has a hitch in his left-handed swing, his uncanny hand-eye coordination allows him to barrel balls and make a lot of hard contact. He struggled at the outset of last season when he got aggressive, but he toned down his approach and did a better job of controlling the strike zone. Factor in his ability to recognize pitches, strength and bat speed, and he has the ingredients to hit for power and average.
Sweeney has some deceptive athleticism and has worked to improve his speed, which has gone from below average in college to average as a pro to solid once he gets underway. He swiped 31 bases in 34 attempts last year and also showed improved range at shortstop, where he's an average defender. He'll still probably move to third base in the future, and his bat, reliable hands and solid arm strength all will fit nicely at the hot corner.
Sweeney finished second in the Coastal Plain League batting race (.397) in the summer of 2020, a prelude to hitting .382/.522/.712 with 14 homers in 48 games and winning Ohio Valley Conference player of the year honors the next spring. One of the better college hitters available in the 2021 Draft, he became the third first-rounder in Eastern Illinois history, following Tim Pyznarski (1981) and Stan Royer (1988). After signing for $3 million as the 20th overall selection, he homered seven times in 32 pro games.
Though he has a lot going on at the plate with a big leg kick and a hitch in his left-handed swing, Sweeney makes it work with outstanding hand-eye coordination. He recognizes pitches and controls the strike zone, allowing him to repeatedly barrel balls to all fields. His power overshadowed his hitting ability during his brief pro debut, and his feel for hitting, strength and bat speed should translate into 20 or more homers per year as he continues to improve his nutrition and conditioning.
The Yankees believe Sweeney's athleticism is underrated. He has worked on his quickness, which graded as below average in college, and he now flashes solid speed once he gets going. He still won't stay at shortstop in the long term, especially with New York's depth at the position, but his reliable hands and solid arm should fit well at third base.
Though the 2020 college season was severely truncated, Sweeney began to break out at Eastern Illinois that spring and encored by finishing second in the Coastal Plain League batting race (.397) during the summer. He continued to rake in 2021, batting .382/.522/.712 with 14 homers in 48 games en route to Ohio Valley Conference player of the year honors. He became the third first-rounder in Panthers history, following Tim Pyznarski (1981) and Stan Royer (1988), when the Yankees made him the 20th overall pick and signed him for $3 million.
Sweeney employs a big leg kick and has a hitch and a lot going on with his left-handed swing, but he makes it work thanks to outstanding hand-eye coordination. He shows good feel for the barrel and the strike zone and makes consistent hard contact to all fields against all types of pitching and pitches. With his hitting ability, strength and bat speed, he should have at least average power and perhaps better if he adds more loft to his stroke.
Sweeney's below-average speed hampers his range and likely will dictate a move from shortstop in the future. With reliable hands and solid arm strength, he would profile well at third base. He should be able to handle any corner position and might be playable at second base.
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's home runs would have been out of other stadiums. The "Adjusted" view here accounts for different wall heights, distances and environmental effects using Statcast Park Factor data.
Standard
Year
HR
2024
4
4
2
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
4
3
5
4
4
3
4
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
4
4
3
3
6
5
4
Player
4
4
2
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
4
3
5
4
4
3
4
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
4
4
3
3
6
5
4
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's home runs would have been out of other stadiums. The "Standard" view here accounts for different wall heights and distances but excludes environmental effects. It is based purely on the observed trajectory of the hit.
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift: three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about how positioning is defined here