Giants draft Waynesburg grad Switalski
Tyler Switalski is heading west.
The 2021 graduate of Waynesburg Central High School and West Virginia University junior pitcher was drafted in the 16th round of the 2024 MLB Amateur Draft as the 478th overall selection of the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.
Switalski found out about the pick at the same time those who tuned into the draft on MLB.com.
“We were here at my house watching it on TV with my family and I saw it before getting a phone call,” Switalski said. “It is a great feeling to be drafted and something I worked really hard for since playing Little League in Greene County. It is definitely surreal and my phone has been blowing up since the selection was made.”
If he signs, Switalski won’t be the only Greene County native in the Giants’ organization. General manager Pete Putila is a Carmichaels native. He was hired by San Francisco in 2022, after working as the Houston Astros’ assistant general manager for three years.
Putila, who graduated from WVU, began his professional career in baseball operations with Houston in 2011 as an intern.
“I haven’t had a chance to speak with Pete, but it is pretty cool knowing he is from Greene County,” Switalski said. “I hope I can be an inspiration to kids in the area that something like this can happen if you put your mind to it and work your tail off.”
Switalski, a left-hander, was 5-3 with a 5.10 ERA and 58 strikeouts over 67 innings for the Mountaineers this season. He upped his game during the postseason and earned a spot on the Tucson Regional All-Tournament Team after allowing one run over 7⅔ innings against Grand Canyon as West Virginia advanced to the NCAA Super Regional for the first time in program history.
“That was huge for my draft stock with the way I was pitching towards the end of the season,” Switalski said. “It was more to my capability and it was huge for the program to get to the super regional.”
The 6-4, 235 pounder started the last game of the season for the Mountaineers in a 2-1 setback to North Carolina in the super regional. Switalski allowed two earned runs on five hits over 6⅓ innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Switalski, who began his college career at Gardner-Webb, is unsure of his first professional assignment, but the end goal is to end up at Oracle Park in San Francisco.
“That’s what I’m shooting for, but there is a lot of work that needs to be done,” Switalski said.