Prep Baseball Report

Preseason All-State: Catcher's Analysis



Shon Plack
Missouri/Kansas Scouting Director

Prep Baseball Report Missouri/Kansas held the Preseason All-State Showcase at Mac N Seitz Baseball on Sunday, February 21.  Nearly 75 players in the 2017 class attended. 

Player's profiles have been updated with video, profile pitcher, times and velocities.  Click on each player to see their profile. 

We will break down each position from the event, starting with catcher's today.  Although some players played multiple positions, this is just a review of their catching performance.  Catcher's are listed in alphabetical order.

CLICK HERE, to see the Preseason All-State Instant Analysis

Catchers

Kaleb Baker, Aurora (MO), 2017
Baker is a 6-foot- 205-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2017 class from Aurora.  He ran a 4.62 home-to-first and has an 83 mph exit velo.  At the plate, has a tall relaxed set up, open stance, to touch, level path with loose hands, gap-to-gap approach.  Behind the plate, over the top release, 2.14 to 2.34 pop times, 73 mph positional velo, clean transfer with fluid footwork, mostly accurate throws, loose arm. 

Joe Benkovich, Raytown (MO), 2017
Benkovich is a 5-foot-8 160-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2017 class from Raytown HS.  He ran a 4.75 home-to-first and has an exit velo of 78 mph. At the plate, balanced set up, leg kick, slightly closed stride, oppo approach, quick hands. Behind the plate, mostly accurate throws, 2.13 to 2.21 pop times, 71 mph positional velo, over the top release, momentum through the catch, fluid footwork and transfer.

Reid Briney, Blue Valley Southwest (KS), 2017
Briney is a 5-foot-10 200-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2017 class from Blue Valley Southwest HS.  He ran a 4.58 home-to-first and has an exit velo of 88 mph. At the plate, balanced set up, smooth load into back leg, no wasted movement, accelerated and quick bat speed, solid consistent contact to middle of cage, body under control.  Behind the plate, over the top release, momentum towards second base to throw, quick exchange, pop times between 2.01 and 2.09-seconds, one of the top pop times of the event, positional velo of 75 mph, mostly accurate throws.

Kalin Fergus, Piper (KS), 2017
Fergus is a 5-foot-8 185-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2017 class from Piper HS.  He ran a 4.19 home-to-first and has an exit velo of 84 mph. At the plate, balanced set up, some load in hands, middle to oppo line drives in cage.  Behind the plate, high three quarters release, fluid footwork, 2.19-2.38 pop times, 69 mph positional velo.

Brady Garrison, Mill Valley (KS), 2017
Garrison is a 6-foot-1 225-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2017 class from Mill Valley.  He ran a 4.14 home-to-first, one of top RHH times of the event, and has an exit velo of 93 mph, one of the top RHH pop times of the event. At the plate, thin set up, toe touch, aggressive swing, power bat, swing produced consistent hard line drives to middle and pull side.  Behind the plate, pop times between 1.97-2.08-seconds, one of the top pop times of the event, 77 mph positional velo, most throws were on the money, over the top release, quick catch and throw with momentum.

Nick Hagedorn, Smith Cotton (MO), 2017
Hagedorn is a 5-foot-10 185-pound left-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2017 class from Sedalia Smith-Cotton HS.  He ran a 3.97 home-to-first, one of the top LHH times of the event, and has an exit velo of 90 mph, one of the top pop times of the event. At the plate, athletic stance, smooth load in back leg, short in-line stride, aggressive hands, mostly hard hit pull side line drives during batting practice.  Behind the plate, 2.00 to 2.15 pop times, one of the top pop times of the event, 73 mph positional velo, mostly accurate throws, over the top release, quick twitch player, quick catch and throw, soft hands.

Crichton Hill, Grain Valley (MO), 2018
Hill is a 6-foot-1 169-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2018 class from Grain Valley HS.  He ran a 4.42 home to first and has an exit velo of 81 mph. At the plate, used the middle of the cage, consistent line drives, balanced set up, long stride, little hand movement to load.  Behind the plate, over the top release, quick exchange, fluid footwork and release, pop times between 2.34 and 2.51-seconds, 67 mph positional velo, somewhat accurate throws. 

Connor Morehouse, Park Hill (MO), 2017
Morehouse is a 5-foot-11 195-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2017 class from Park Hill HS.  He ran a 4.62 home to first and has an exit velo of 90 mph, one of the top RHH exit velos of the event. At the plate, slightly open stance, in-line stride, has a gap-to-gap approach, hands walk away from stride, manages the barrel with hands.  Behind the plate, mostly accurate throws, over the top release, clean exchange and throw, pop times between 2.15 and 2.34-seconds, 76 mph positional velo.

Luke Patrie, Olathe North (KS), 2017
Patrie is an athletic 6-foot-3 205-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2017 class from Olathe North HS.  He ran a 4.19 home to first and has an exit velo of 86 mph. At the plate, balanced set up, smooth rhythm in pre swing, in-lind stride, hard hit line drives gap-to-gap during batting practice.  Behind the plate, quick catch and throw, 1.97 to 2.03 pop times, one of the top pop times of the event, 79 mph positional velo, momentum through the catch, mostly accurate throws on a line.  

Tanner Williams, Lansing (KS), 2017
Williams is a 6-foot-1 195-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2017 class from Lansing HS.  He ran a 4.10 home to first, one of the top RHH times of the event, and has an exit velo of 89 mph. At the plate, open stance, smooth load, no wasted movement, some pop to pull side. Behind the plate, pop times between 2.19 and 2.35-seconds, positional velo at 78 mph, mostly accurate throws, over the top release, fluid footwork and exchange.

Reid Wilson, Hickman (MO), 2017
Wilson is a 5-foot-10 170-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2017 class from Hickman HS.  He ran a 4.15 home-to-first and has an exit velo of 87 mph. At the plate, thin stance, in-line stride, level bat path to extension, body under control, gap-to-gap line drives.  Behind the plate, pop times between 2.03 and 2.10, one of the top pop times of the event, 78 mph positional velo, mostly accurate throws, over the top release, quick catch and throw. 

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