Dansby Swanson graduated from high school in Marietta, Georgia. After high school, he was drafted in the 38th round by the Colorado Rockies in the 2012 draft. He chose instead to attend Vanderbilt University and was selected as the 1st overall pick in the 2015 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arizona sent him to their Northwest League affiliate in Hillsboro after he had some time off following a long run in the College World Series with Vanderbilt. While he only played 22 games and only registered 99 plate appearances, he did register a very impressive .289/.394/.482 line with 7 doubles, 2 triples, and a home run while going 14/14 BB/K.