Travis Swaggerty

Monarchs Star Swaggerty Signs With Mets

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — One of the Kansas City Monarchs’ core players from 2024 is heading to an MLB organization. Outfielder Travis Swaggerty has signed with the New York Mets organization. 

The former major leaguer with the Pittsburgh Pirates was a fixture of the Monarchs’ lineup for much of 2024, using his all-around skills to impact the game.

Swaggerty is the fifth Monarch to sign with an MLB organization since the start of the 2024 season. The list includes pitchers Dalton Moats (Cubs), Grant Gavin (Reds) and Michael Watson (Cardinals), as well as outfielder Moises Gomez, who signed with the Padres earlier this winter. 

“We at the Monarchs are very excited about Travis Swaggerty signing with the New York Mets,” Monarchs manager Joe Calfapietra said. “Any time our players get an opportunity to sign back with a major league affiliate we are extremely excited. Travis signed with our club to get an opportunity to move on, and as an organization we are very happy when our players get that opportunity.”

The Monarchs open their 2025 season on May 9 at Legends Field in Kansas City Kansas. Opening Night tickets are on sale now at MonarchsBaseball.com.

The Louisiana native posted a .378 on-base percentage and .800 OPS over 73 games in 2024 while leading the Monarchs with 46 walks. He stole 20 bases while only being caught three times, and earned the No. 1 spot on the SportsCenter Top 10 for an over-the-wall catch in right field. 

The Pirates chose Swaggerty with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2018 MLB draft after an outstanding college career at South Alabama, where he was named first-team All-Sun Belt twice.

Swaggerty reached Triple-A in 2021 and made his MLB debut in 2022, playing five games at the highest level. He owns a .250/.341/.388/.729 career slash across five seasons of affiliated minor league baseball.

About the Kansas City Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team in the American Association, an MLB Partner League. 2025 will be their 22nd season at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. In 2020, the team partnered with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and changed their name from the T-Bones to the Monarchs in honor of the legendary Negro League franchise that played from 1920 to 1965.