Prep Baseball Report

MN Preseason All-State: Catcher Evaluations



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By Rob Allison
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota

The Prep Baseball Report MN Preseason All-State event took place on Sunday, March 19, 2017. The event was held at the Vadnais Sports Center in Vadnais Heights, MN. The event featured prospects from the 2018 grad class; and included many breakout performances from this year's participants. Players showcased their talents in front of our scouting staff and college coaches in attendance.

As we drill down into the statistics:

   + 18 catchers recorded 70+ mph throws to second base
+ 15 catchers recorded sub-2.1 pop times
 
Today we take a look at the catchers that were in attendance at this year's event. This position is deep and talented in MN in the 2018 class; and a solid number of these players with continued maturity and development will receive significant college interest.

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Catcher Evals (alphabetical)

Nathaniel Allen, C, St. Thomas Academy, 2018
6-foot-3, 170-pound right-handed hitting catcher. 7.28 runner. Tall stance, choppy rhythm in load, slight uphill path to contact, uses both gaps, solid contact, 84 mph exit velocity. Solid receiver, flexible, quality square stance, keeps blocks in front. Long stride, avg. footwork, accurate to bag with above arm action and strength, 79 mph arm strength with 1.92-2.08 pop times.

Tucker Alstead, C, Owatonna, 2018
5-foot-11, 180-pound left-handed hitting catcher. 7.27 runner. Open stance, slight knee to knee trigger, short path to contact, mid/pull approach, avg. extension through contact, 84 mph exit velocity. Has strength, holds pitches in zone, quiet actions, occasional late to block. Has direction with feet and momentum through plate, short arm action, clean exchanges, accurate to bag, 73 mph arm strength with 2.07-2.13 pop times.

Ross Cochran, C, Eastview, 2018
6-foot-3, 210-pound right-handed hitting catcher. Currently #49 ranked player in MN 2018 class. 8.19 runner. Narrow open stance, shoulder load, aggressive lower half in swing, linear actions, uses whole field, flashes pop in bat to pull side of field, 87 mph exit velocity. Good setup, loose actions, smooth receiver, works ball back to zone well. Aggressive behind plate, slight sink on throws from ¾ slot, shows footwork and clean exchanges, accurate to bag, 77 mph arm strength with 2.03-2.07 pop times.

Tommy Heiland, C, Chanhassen, 2018
6-foot, 205-pound right-handed hitting catcher. 7.57 runner. Open stance, knee to knee trigger, some extra movements disrupting timing, flat path, present strength, pull approach, 87 mph exit velocity. Off-set feet in stance, loses inside strike, solid actions, should continue to improve with reps. Works around plate, length to exchange, clean arm action, short release, solid accuracy, 74 mph arm strength with 2.2-2.4 pop times.

Benjamin Kinney, C/RHP, Kasson Mantorville, 2018
6-foot-2, 180-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. 6-foot-2, 180-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. 8.15 runner. Open stance, strides across body, early hand/shoulder load, hard oppo contact producing line drives and fly balls, 82 mph exit velocity. Quiet receiver with ability to stick pitches in zone, solid blocker, smothers baseball and keeps in front, shows appropriate footwork behind the plate, long exchange and release on throws, 2.2-2.28 pop times with 72 mph arm strength.

Torin Klebba, C, Centennial, 2018
5-foot-10, 170-pound right-handed hitting catcher. 7.75 runner. Square stance, body load with knee to knee trigger, stays connected with upper half, choppy stride with head bounce, consistent solid contact, works gap to gap, 77 mph exit velocity. Flexible with low set-up and target, athletic actions, avg. receiver, late to blocking position. Good direction through plate, long stride, length to exchange, long release on throws, 2.38-2.46 pop times with 68 mph arm strength.

Jake Koller, C, East Ridge, 2018
5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed hitting catcher. #51 ranked player in MN 2018 class. 7.71 runner at this event. Narrow start, tall to fall linear approach, creates bat speed, some length with arm bar, gap to gap hitter, flashes pop in bat, occasional inconsistent timing, 88 mph exit velocity. Moves well behind plate, athletic actions, works pitches back to zone, side-ways stance, loses inside strike. Shows rhythm, works through plate, clean exchanges, hitch in arm action and release, solid/avg. accuracy, 75 mph arm strength with 2.1-2.2 pop times.

Ian Masui, C, Minnetonka, 2018
5-foot-11, 260-pound right-handed hitting catcher. 7.4 runner. Square stance, leg kick trigger, stays connected with load, short to contact, above avg. present strength, aggressive lower half, clean path through baseball with flashes of pop, 87 mph exit velocity. Solid actions and athleticism for size, strong hands with ability to hold ball in zone, solid blocker. Feet and exchange out of sync at this event, has arm strength, typically shows above avg. accuracy to bag, 79 mph arm strength with 2.00-2.2 pop times.

Ryan McDonald, C, Prior Lake, 2018
5-foot-10, 185-pound right-handed hitting catcher. Currently un-ranked and not seen before. Strong performance at event and will move into solid position in rankings. 7.32 runner. One of better BP rounds during event, consistent hard contact, clean path to baseball, flashes pop in bat, has hand-eye coordination and consistently squares baseball, 92 mph exit velocity. Sticks pitches in zone, good body sway to both sides of plate, quiet actions. Avg. balance with head out and over feet, quick feet and exchange, shows accuracy to bag, 78 mph arm strength with 1.95-2.14 pop times.

Gage Merhar, C/RHP, Ely Memorial, 2018
6-foot, 165-pound left-handed hitting 2-way player. Currently #68 ranked player in MN 2018 class. 7.28 runner. Slightly open stance, loose hands, creates solid bat speed, flashes hard line drive contact, mid/pull approach, avg. extension and weight transfer through contact, 86 mph exit velocity. Athletic behind plate, narrow stance receiving, avg. hands, mobile around plate. Sideways stance, simple step and throw, some length to exchange, above avg. quick release, solid accuracy and carry to bag, 71 mph arm strength with 2.15-2.3 pop times.

Alex Prindle, C, Rochester Mayo, 2018
6-foot-1, 170-pound left-handed hitting catcher. 7.47 runner. Wide stance, flat hand load, out and around at contact, pull approach, 76 mph exit velocity. Low set-up with flexibility, athletic feet, works through plate, some length to exchange, solid accuracy to bag, 72 mph arm strength with 2.06-2.22 pop times. Some extra movements receiving, sticks pitches in zone, overall athletic actions, late to block occasionally.

Ethan Roe, C, Blake School, 2018
6-foot-1, 170-pound right-handed hitting catcher. Has made large strides in development over past year. 7.19 runner. Square stance, hitchy active hand load, creates bat speed, loose path through contact, flashes pop in bat, gap to gap hitter, 87 mph exit velocity. Athletic and flexible behind plate, showed above avg. ability to block and receive, good actions behind plate. Works through plate with footwork, clean exchanges, slight hitch in arm action, comes out well in front, accurate to bag, 78 mph arm strength with 2.02-2.1 pop times.

Cameron Smrekar, C/OF, Minnetonka, 2018
6-foot-3, 190-pound left-handed hitting 2-way player. Currently #60 ranked player in MN 2018 class. 7.25 runner. Swing path through contact has improved, line drive contact, some length with deep load and arm bar, flashes hard contact to middle of field, 85 mph exit velocity. Big target, strong frame, moves well behind plate, holds pitches in zone. Good direction, slower feet, low ¾ arm slot, throws uphill occasionally, avg. accuracy to bag, 75 mph arm strength with 2.15-2.2 pop times.

Alex Snader, C, Chanhassen, 2018
6-foot, 165-pound right-handed hitting catcher. 7.2 runner. Tall stance, leg kick trigger, loose hands, clean line drive swing plane, works gap to gap well, 87 mph exit velocity. Off-set feet receiving, loses inside strike, athletic actions and movements, above avg. blocker, solid/avg. receiver. Compact actions, pie arm slot, avg. accuracy to bag, clean exchanges and release, 71 mph arm strength with 2.01-2.18 pop times.

Ben Stolar, C, Minnetonka, 2018
5-foot-11, 170-pound right-handed hitting catcher. 7.21 runner. Square stance, compact swing, avg. weight transfer through swing, consistent solid contact with avg. pop in bat, works gap to gap well, 73 mph exit velocity. Solid athlete, moves behind dish well, ability to receive, quiet actions, sound blocker. Works around plate occasionally with feet, length to exchange, clean arm path, quicker release, solid carry and accuracy to bag, 78 mph arm strength with 2.06-2.18 pop times.

Mitch Stroh, C, Elk River, 2018
5-foot-11, 170-pound right-handed hitting catcher. #15 ranked player in MN 2018 class. 7.4 runner. Tall stance, slight hand and body load, clean path through contact, consistent hard contact, repeats swing well, mid/pull approach, 89 mph exit velocity. Athletic behind plate with quick feet, solid carry and accuracy on throws, aggressive blocker, good mobility, receives breaking ball well, strong hands and sticks fastball in zone, 79 mph arm strength with 2.01-2.07 pop times.

Riley Swenson, C, Chaska, 2018
6-foot-3, 185-pound right-handed hitting catcher. Currently #46 ranked player in MN 2018 class. Well above avg. arm strength at 84 mph to second base with 1.91-2.09 pop times. Throws are routinely on bag with above avg. carry. Tall stance behind plate, square set-up with good target, shows mobility, solid /avg. receiver and blocker. Open stance, body load, deeper load with slight arm bar, aggressive swinger, flashes pop to middle and pull side of field, has extension through contact, stays on ball well, 91 mph exit velocity off tee. 7.25 runner as well.

Michael Wallace, C, Minneapolis Southwest, 2018
5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed hitting catcher. Currently #36 ranked player in MN 2018 class. 7.35 runner. Slightly open stance, easy rolling load into launch position, loose hands with clean swing plane, consistent hard contact, works gap to gap well with line drives, 86 mph exit velocity. Solid receiver, strong set-up, shows body sway to both sides of plate, glove is occasionally late to spot on fastballs. Works through plate with feet, simple consistent actions, quick exchange, clean arm action, above avg. accuracy to bag with carry, 80 mph arm strength with 1.98-2.13 pop times.

Ryan Wrobleski, C, Eden Prairie, 2018
5-foot-11, 185-pound right-handed hitting catcher. Currently #9 prospect in MN 2018 rankings. Has made solid improvements since August. 7.25 runner. Tall athletic stance, body load, slight arm bar in load, lift through contact, shows pop in bat, aggressive swinger, drives ball gap to gap, 88 mph exit velocity. Presents well to pitcher, early target, above avg. blocker- keeps ball in front, easy actions behind plate with confident demeanor. Longer arm action, avg./ok footwork, accurate to bag, clean exchanges, above avg. arm strength, 82 mph arm strength with 1.91-2.01 pop times.