UVA. His pitching repertoire included a "lively" fastball, a late-breaking "knee-buckling" slider, and a change-up. Professional career Minor leagues (2008–11) Schwimer was drafted out of college by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 14th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. In the minors, he was a relief pitcher; primarily a closer. Schwimer averaged 12.1 strikeouts per 9 innings in his minor league career, as he was 20–10 with a 2.51 ERA, and gave up 184 hits and 79 walks, while striking out 313 batters, in 233 innings through his August 2011 call-up to the major leagues. In 2008, he had a 1.96 ERA for the Williamsport Crosscutters of the Low-A New York–Penn League. On July 7, he was named the NY-Penn League Pitcher of the Week. He averaged 13.5 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched. Schwimer split 2009 between the Clearwater Threshers of the High-A Florida State League, for whom he had 20 saves (3rd in the league), 48 games (4th in the league), and a 2.85 ERA, and the Reading Phillies of the Double-A Eastern League, for whom he had a 1.35 ERA in 20.0 innings. Combined, in 2009 he averaged 12.4 strikeouts per 9 innings. He started 2010 with the Reading Phillies, for whom he was an Eastern League Mid-Season All Star while he earned a team-leading 11 saves with a 3.60 ERA. Schwimer finished the season with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs of the Triple-A International League, with a 1.35 ERA as he held batters to a .080 batting average with runners in scoring position. Combined, in 2010 he averaged 11.4 strikeouts per 9 innings. Schwimer began 2011 with the IronPigs. With them, he was 9–1 with a 1.88 ERA, and 10 saves. He had 86 strikeouts in 67.0 innings (averaging 11.6 strikeouts per 9 innings), giving up 50 hits and stranding 15 of 21 inherited runners. He sported an improved "nasty" change-up, better location of his low-90s-to-95-mph four-seam fastball, and his slider as he relied on deception and control for his strikeouts. He held right-handers to a .068 batting average. He was an International League mid-season All Star, and pitched in the Triple-A All-Star Game. In July, he was named the Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month. Major leagues Philadelphia Phillies (2011–12) Schwimer was called up to the majors for the first time on August 17, 2011. He became the 29th UVA player to make it