Prep Baseball Report

Freshman Free Showcase: Catcher Analysis


Kyle Campbell
Maryland Scouting Director

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33 players from across the Old Line State, Pennsylvania, DC, and Virginia participated in this year's  Freshman Free Showcase at the Metrix Baseball Training Facility in New Windsor, MD. Players went through in a pro-style workout, took BP and threw bullpens in front of our PBR Maryland staff.

Today we release our evaluations of the seven catchers from the event.

 

THE CATCHERS

 

George Baker C / 3B / Grace Christian, MD / 2023

Body: 6’1’’, 175 pounds. Strong, athletic, projectable frame.
Hit: LHH. Balanced, slightly open stance. Top tap load with nice hand separation and rhythm. Slightly uphill swing path, loose hands, quick bat speed. Showed some lower half involvement and gets good extension through contact. Balanced, one-handed finish.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee. Gap-to-gap approach with power to the pull side.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short arm action, high three-quarter slot. Ball showed carry.
Defense: 1.96 - 2.03 pop times. Quick footwork and clean exchange.
Run: 4.53 home-to-first time.


Hunter Barnes C / RHP / Middletown , MD / 2024

Body: 5’4’’, 125 pounds. Athletic.
Hit: RHH. Square stance, loads weight on the back side early. Short stride, stays behind the ball well. Short to the ball with a level swing path. Balanced, high, one-handed finish. Line drive type hitter.
Power: 64 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 58 mph. Throws with body and shoulders open at release from a high three-quarter slot.
Defense: 2.43 - 2.60 pop times. Quick feet.
Run: 5.15 home-to-first time.


Gibson Hirt C / 1B / Walt Whitman , MD / 2023

Body: 5’9’’, 215 pounds. Solid body type.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly closed stance. Minimal load, short stride. Short, compact swing with a level bat path. Showed quick hands and fast bat speed through the zone. Strong two-handed finish with limited rotation. Solid middle of the field line drive approach.
Power: 71 mph exit velocity from the tee. Some strength present with power developing.
Arm: RH. C - 64 mph. Shorter arm action, high three-quarter slot. Throws slightly uphill.
Defense: 2.40 - 2.46 pop times. Replaces feet well and squares shoulders to target. Showed clean exchanges.
Run: 4.99 home-to-first time.


Dylan Liedy C / 1B / McDonogh, MD / 2023

Body: 5’4’’, 175 pounds. Solid.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, open stance. Short back-load and small stride length. Creates nice hand separation. Short to the ball with quick hands and fast bat speed through the zone. Level bat path and swings with intent. Stays behind the ball well and gets good extension through contact Strong two-handed finish. Showed a middle to pull-side approach during BP with some juice to the gaps.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee. Loud contact, some power present with more projected.
Arm: RH. C - 63 mph. Slightly longer arm action throwing from a high three-quarter slot.
Defense: 2.21 - 2.33 pop times. Gains ground on throws to second with a clean exchange.
Run: 5.00 home-to-first time.


Charles Musser IV C / 3B / Linganore, MD / 2023

Body: 5’10’’, 138 pounds. Athletic
Hit: RHH. Hits from a balanced, slightly closed stance with hands pre-set at shoulder height. Short controlled back load with a small, quick leg kick. Swing is short to the ball mostly but does have a tendency to get long at times. Level swing path, good extension, high one-handed finish. Line drive type hitter with a nice middle of the field approach.
Power: 66 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 64 mph. Short arm action throwing from a mid three-quarter slot.
Defense: 2.27 - 3.38 pop times. Gains ground and squares shoulders to the target. Throws were accurate to the bag.
Run: 5.24 home-to-first time.


Nick Pratt C / OF / Indian Creek School, MD / 2023

Body: 5’11, 166 pounds. Athletic
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly open stance. Smooth back load and short stride. Creates some hand separation. Short to the ball with an uphill swing path. Loose hands and showed quick bat speed through the zone. Strong lower half involvement. Stays behind the ball well with great extension and a strong two-handed finish. Worked gap-to-gap during BP.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee. Showed some pop with more potential for more.
Arm: RH. C - 69 mph. Throws with short arm action from a high three-quarter slot.
Defense: 2.15 - 2.26 pop times. Quick footwork behind the plate. Gains ground on throws to second and squares shoulders to target. Quick, clean exchanges.
Run: 4.89 home-to-first time.


Lawson Swartzwelder C / Tuscarora, MD / 2024

Body: 5’9’’, 173 pounds. Athletic
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly closed stance. Controlled, short back load and small stride with hands pre-set. Short to the ball with a level swing path. Showed quick hands and bat speed through the zone. Stays behind the ball and utilizes lower half well. Gets extension through contact and finishes hard with two hands. Maintains excellent balance through the swing. Gap-to-gap line drive type hitter.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee. Occasional pop.
Arm: RH. C - 68 mph. Throws with short arm action from a mid three-quarter slot.
Defense: 2.19 - 2.22 pop times. Quick feet and quick, clean exchanges. Throws were accurate to the bag.
Run: 4.59 home-to-first time.

 

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