Yet there is another side to the potential borne of his identity as a catcher. The greatest threat to Swihart’s offensive ability comes from the fact that he plays a position subject to an onslaught of harm.

Blake Swihart’s stock is tied in no small part to what he represents as the rarest species of catcher, a player at the game’s most taxing position whose offensive potential stands out from a crowd where expectations are low. It’s part of the reason why he decided to pursue work behind the plate in high school, mindful that he could improve his position in the draft by demonstrating how his athleticism could play behind the plate.


Swihart — whose 2016 season came to a crashing halt in the novel position of left field — is on the sidelines in Triple A Pawtucket after enduring a succession of foul tips off his left ring finger. The swelling and discomfort became sufficiently severe that he couldn’t swing with his characteristic strength, particularly from the left side. He endured an 0-for-17 run and struck out with a frequency that he’s almost never displayed.

“I was playing through it, but it happened again and again. I just got to a point where I could barely hold the bat. I just needed to take some time and let it settle down,” said Swihart. “You don’t want to rush it because you don’t want it lingering all year long.”

Of course, this won’t be the last time that Swihart faces such physical challenges. Part of the reason for the rarity of catchers capable of delivering a lineup impact is that they take the sort of punishment that makes offensive consistency elusive. For Swihart — who’d endured few significant injuries during his pro career aside from last year’s mishap in left field — there has been an unwanted lesson.


“This is the first injury I can see that [catching] makes it tougher on hitting,” said Swihart. “[But] I wanted to be a catcher. I chose to be a catcher. You’re going to get your bumps and bruises. You play through most of them. Some of them you can’t.”

The ring finger is one of them, and it comes at an inopportune time. Early in the season, prior to the finger injuries, the PawSox coaching staff saw in Swihart a player who was making incremental defensive strides from his pre-injury form but who was rushing to make up for lost time at the plate. In 13 games, he was hitting just .208/.250/.375 before landing on the disabled list.

Swihart showed flashes of the gifts that positioned him as the Red Sox’ top prospect just a couple of years ago. However, a stop-and-start beginning of 2017 — Swihart missed a few games after a head-to-head collision with first baseman Sam Travis, then missed time because of the initial finger injury, then endured four days without games because of a run of rainouts, before he more foul tips stopped him from playing — prevented him from getting into a rhythm.

“Injuries go with the territory. They’re going to rear their ugly head,” said PawSox hitting coach and former Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman. “It’s a shame he’s not playing, because that’s valuable time missed.”

Swihart acknowledged that he’s getting stir crazy awaiting his return. Still, he’s mindful of the bigger picture.


“To have that big ankle injury last year and now this keeps lingering, it’s frustrating,” he said. “But once we get it better, I’ll be back and good to go.”

On target

Righthander Mike Shawaryn, a fifth-round pick last year out of the University of Maryland, delivered a memorable performance for Single A Greenville last Saturday, striking out a franchise-record 12 over six innings.

“With all the guys that have come through here, it’s a pretty neat thing to have accomplished and to be considered with those guys,” said Shawaryn, alluding to standout runs in Greenville by Clay Buchholz, Matt Barnes, Henry Owens, and other Sox first-rounders. “It’s not something you’re focused on during the game. But after the game, when you find out that it’s a franchise record, it’s pretty cool.”

Shawaryn elicited 15 swings and misses. While his fastball isn’t overpowering, Shawaryn has impressed with his ability to command it in order to set up a mid-to-high-80s slider that hitters have chased. After a poor debut (nine runs in two innings), he has a 1.32 ERA with 42 strikeouts and six walks in 27⅓ innings.

“He had a tough spring training and tough first start for us, and then since then he’s been getting progressively better and better,” said Drive manager Darren Fenster. “His last start, he was absolutely lights-out.”

While the college experience and strong early performances of Shawaryn and righthander Shaun Anderson (1.87 ERA, 32 strikeouts, eight walks in Greenville) have made them candidates for early-season promotions to High A Salem, nothing is imminent.


Promotions earned

Righthander Jamie Callahan started to break through as a bullpen arm in the second half of 2016 in Salem, where his mid-90s fastball, slider, and splitter started to produce late-inning dominance. He carried that into spring training this year, where he was one of the final cuts from big league camp, before delivering an overpowering start to the year in Double A Portland. Over 13 innings, Callahan struck out 20 without a walk while forging a 1.38 ERA. On Thursday, the Red Sox promoted him to Triple A Pawtucket.

“It’s been convincing,” farm director Ben Crockett said. “He’s shown the multiple pitch mix, thrown a lot of strikes, [and] been confident using all three pitches any count. It’s a credit to him and the ownership he’s taken in the move to the bullpen. He just continues to keep improving.”

Righthander Travis Lakins likewise received a promotion, moving from Salem to Portland on Wednesday. Lakins went 5-0 with a 2.61 ERA, 43 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 38 innings for Salem.

Being careful

Lefthander Jason Groome, out since leaving his first start of the year for Greenville with a lat strain on April 10, is expected to start throwing off a mound in the next few days for the first time since suffering his injury. He’s at extended spring training in Fort Myers, Fla,. where he’ll rebuild his pitch count. Given the length of his downtime — a product of the team’s desire to proceed cautiously with an 18-year-old — the 2016 first-rounder is not expected to pitch for a minor league affiliate until June . . . Greenville third baseman Bobby Dalbec left a game on Wednesday as a precaution because of wrist and hand soreness. The 21-year-old, one of the Sox’ top prospects entering the year, has struggled at the outset of 2017, hitting .264/.358/.358 while striking out in 36 percent of plate appearances . . . Pitcher Kevin Steen, who was critically injured in a car crash in Fort Myers last month, remains hospitalized there, though visitors have described him as being in good spirits. A YouCaring fund-raiser page said that Steen underwent hip and knee surgeries, with the knee injuries described as extreme, leaving Steen’s baseball future in doubt.


Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com. Follow him on twitter at @alexspeier.