Pedro Swann Jr. is a familiar name to Delaware State University alums as one of two former Hornets to reach the Major Leagues from the Hornets baseball program.
Swann will now attempt to send a few more players to the bigs and compete for a Northeast Conference title as the program’s new head coach, the university announced on Tuesday morning.
Swann will replace J.P. Blandin, who announced his retirement in March after 25 seasons.
Swann was an all-MEAC performer for what was then Delaware State College, currently holding the program’s lifetime batting average record at .421.
He was drafted in 1991 by the Atlanta Braves and played at various minor league levels before being called up in 2000, joining former Detroit Tigers outfielder Jake Wood as the only Delaware State player to play in Major League Baseball.
He also spent time with the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles, with whom he hit his first and only major league home run off the New York Yankees’ Roger Clemens on September 16, 2003.
Since retiring from playing in 2007, Swann has been a hitting instructor and coach at the high school, college, and professional levels. He served as Maryland-Eastern Shore baseball coach during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, compiling a record of 21-80 overall and 12-36 in the MEAC.
