Power of the Schwartz

Most college baseball head coaches would be scared to say this, but Niagara University head coach Rob McCoy doesn’t hold anything back — he’s excited to see junior righthanded pitcher Jordan Schwartz perform against hard-hitting Florida State this weekend.

At this point, many around the country probably are wondering … Jordan Schwartz. Who’s that? Well, a glance at the Niagara Athletics website would lead you to believe that Schwartz is a key hitter for the Purple Eagles. Sure, he hit .299 for Niagara last season, but he’s being discussed right now because of his upside as a pitcher.

Yes, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound, junior righthander finished last season with an 8.19 earned-run average in 52 1/3 innings, but there’s much more here than meets the eye with Schwartz, and there are plenty of reasons why McCoy and the Purple Eagles are excited about the 2014 campaign he has a chance to put together, and the increased draft stock to follow.

“I knew when I recruited him, people would eventually wonder how an arm like that ended up at Niagara University,” McCoy said. “I’m excited to see him pitch against Florida State, because I think he’s really made some strides.”