Switzer is a 1998 graduate of Clear Lake High School in Houston, Texas While there he was three-year letterwinner and was selected for the following honors: '98 first-team all-district, '97 second-team all-district, USA Today 1998 All-USA honorable mention, Houston Area All-Star, '98 all-state selection. He also played for the South in the Texas North/South All-Star game at The Ballpark in Arlington.

In 1998, Switzer was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 26th round of the amateur entry draft but chose to attend Arizona State University where he majored in marketing.

Switzer attended Arizona State for three years (1999–2001) and appeared in 66 games compiling a 23-13 record with a 4.01 ERA striking out 327 batters in 303.1 innings. He posted back-to-back seasons with 100+ strikeouts in 2000 (121) and 2001 (128). He was named Pac-10 Honorable Mention in 2000 and 2001, third-team Collegiate Baseball All-American in 2000.

Switzer was selected by Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2nd round of the 2001 Major League Baseball draft and began his professional career playing for the Hudson Valley Renegades of the New York–Penn League.

By 2003 Switzer worked his way up to the Triple-A Durham Bulls and made his first major league appearance against the Kansas City Royals on August 2, 2003.

...
Wikipedia