Swaim Ready To Join The Baseball Culture At Fordham

Carson Swaim RHP / OF / Fairfield Warde, CT / 2024

FAIRFIELD, Ct. - When Carson Swaim made his decision to commit to Fordham it was memorable.

“I was sitting at the kitchen counter with my mom and dad when I called the coach,” Swaim reflected. “It was such a great moment.”

The 44th-rated 2024 right-handed pitcher in New England remembers well when his quest to play at the next level began.

“It started the second I joined my high school team,” the Fairfield Warde senior reflected. “I loved baseball but I didn’t know if I was going to play in college. But the second I joined and saw the Warde baseball culture with teammates and coaches pushing me, and then seeing guys going to college, from that point on I wanted to do what I could to be able to do that.”

His summer travel team also played a part.

“I joined Baseball U as fast as I could,” Swaim said. “Baseball U made the process easier.”

Still, it was far from a smooth recruitment.

“It was 100 percent stressful,” Swaim admitted. “It’s stressful for anyone. PBR definitely got me the exposure needed with looks and numbers posted. I know Fordham reached out after seeing one of their videos. Having that definitely helped.”

In addition to Fordham, the 11th-ranked senior RHP in Connecticut took visits to Marist and Fairfield.

“I played well at my first tournament and received interest from schools and those ended up as my top three,” Swaim explained. “I went to the campus at Fordham in late August, saw the school and threw in front of the head coach who had not seen me. Fordham has a different culture which I like. Plus, one of my good friends is on the team.

“The next day after the visit I got a call from (assistant) coach (Pat) Porter on the way home from visiting Marist and they offered. I called back two days later and accepted the offer.”

An opportunity to be a two-way player at the Atlantic 10 Conference school aided the decision for the 46th-rated senior in Connecticut.

“They recruited me as a two-way,” noted Swaim, an outfielder when not pitching. “I was only being recruited as a two-way by smaller schools until then, but right now it’s primarily as a pitcher. They like my presence on the mound and the way I compete.”

Improvement as a pitcher proved beneficial for the 5-9 188-pounder.

“I’ve always been a small guy, but I’ve put on a lot of muscle and weight,” explained Swaim. “I’ve learned to use my body type to my advantage. I use my legs more than others do. I’ve definitely learned how to use my body more.”

The 131st-rated 2024 in New England pointed to a number of individuals, including his father, high school coach Brett Conner and Baseball U mentor Pat Vigilio with aiding his baseball journey as well as Aidan Dowd, a Fairfield Warde 2023 graduate now playing for Fordham.

“I can’t wait to get on the field and join the team, join the culture there and join the chemistry of the guys,” Swaim said. “It’s really exciting.”

The 17-year-old, who carries a 3.65 GPA and plans to major in business in college, is hopeful of making a big impact at the university located an hour and 10 minutes from home.

“I’m a competitive guy, I don’t like losing,” Swaim said. “I’m a high-energy guy who will do what he can to help the team. My sophomore year of high school all I did was scream and pick guys up. I played minimal innings, that was my role. This year I was in the field. I’m definitely going to bring a presence whatever my role is at Fordham. I’ll bring an energy which will feed on others.”