Prep Baseball Report

Recruiting Process Has Ups And Downs For Brancel


Bruce Hefflinger
PBR Ohio Senior Writer

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Recruiting Process Has Ups And Downs For Brancel

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Dominic Brancel

Class of 2023 / C

Player Information

  • Graduating Class: 2023
  • Primary Position: C
    Secondary Position: OF
  • High School: Hawken
    State: OH
  • Summer Team: Ohio Elite
  • Height: 5-10
    Weight: 185lbs
  • Bat/Throw: R/R

Statistics

Position
6.83
60-yard
(06/13/22)
1.89 - 1.96
Pop Time
(06/13/22)
78
OF Velo
(06/12/19)
78
C Velo
(02/20/22)
97
Exit Velo
(07/28/21)
4.35
H-1st
(06/12/19)
Power Speed Score
(06/13/22)
Position
60-yard
6.83
Pop Time
1.89 - 1.96
C Velo
75
Exit Velo
96
Power Speed Score
Position
60-yard
6.92
Pop Time
1.93 - 2
C Velo
78
Position
60-yard
7.11
Pop Time
1.92 - 2.01
C Velo
72
Exit Velo
94
Position
60-yard
7.07
Pop Time
1.94 - 1.97
C Velo
77
Exit Velo
97
Position
60-yard
7.07
Pop Time
1.94 - 1.97
C Velo
77
Exit Velo
97
Power Speed Score
Position
60-yard
7.07
Pop Time
1.94 - 1.97
C Velo
77
Exit Velo
97
Position
60-yard
7.08
Pop Time
1.94 - 2.01
C Velo
76
Exit Velo
95
Position
60-yard
7.2
Pop Time
2.08 - 2.13
C Velo
72
Exit Velo
93
Position
60-yard
7.27
Pop Time
1.94 - 2.03
C Velo
73
Exit Velo
91
Position
60-yard
7.12
Pop Time
1.91 - 2.03
C Velo
74
Exit Velo
96
Position
Pop Time
2.06 - 2.12
OF Velo
78
C Velo
71
H-1st
4.35
Exit Velo
88
Trackman - Hitting
98.4
Exit Velocity (max)
(06/13/22)
93.4
Exit Velocity (avg)
(06/13/22)
287
Distance (avg)
(07/28/21)
380
Distance (max)
(07/28/21)
Hard Hit %
(06/13/22)
Sweet Spot %
(06/13/22)
Line Drive %
(06/13/22)
Fly Ball %
(07/28/21)
Ground Ball %
(06/08/21)
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
98.4
Exit Velocity (avg)
93.4
Distance (avg)
242
Distance (max)
328
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
93.5
Exit Velocity (avg)
87.7
Distance (avg)
276
Distance (max)
357
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
97.7
Exit Velocity (avg)
77.8
Distance (avg)
287
Distance (max)
380
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
97.7
Exit Velocity (avg)
77.8
Distance (avg)
287
Distance (max)
380
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
95.4
Exit Velocity (avg)
89.2
Distance (avg)
164
Distance (max)
309
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
93.2
Exit Velocity (avg)
84.4
Distance (avg)
252
Distance (max)
358
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
91.9
Exit Velocity (avg)
86.9
Distance (avg)
230
Distance (max)
338
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
96
Exit Velocity (avg)
81.3
Distance (avg)
179
Distance (max)
346
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Blast - Hitting
23.6
Hand Speed (max)
(07/06/20)
22.1
Hand Speed (avg)
(07/06/20)
88.8
Bat Speed (max)
(10/09/21)
80.4
Bat Speed (avg)
(10/09/21)
Rot. Acc (max)
(07/06/20)
Rot. Acc (avg)
(07/06/20)
On Plane Eff (avg)
(10/17/20)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency
(10/17/20)
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
21.9
Hand Speed (avg)
21.3
Bat Speed (max)
76
Bat Speed (avg)
71.5
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
21.2
Hand Speed (avg)
19.8
Bat Speed (max)
88.8
Bat Speed (avg)
80.4
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
21.8
Hand Speed (avg)
20.7
Bat Speed (max)
77.7
Bat Speed (avg)
71.8
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
21.8
Hand Speed (avg)
20.7
Bat Speed (max)
77.7
Bat Speed (avg)
71.8
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
21.3
Hand Speed (avg)
20.7
Bat Speed (max)
76.8
Bat Speed (avg)
71.9
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
23
Hand Speed (avg)
21.5
Bat Speed (max)
73.9
Bat Speed (avg)
72.5
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
20.9
Hand Speed (avg)
20.1
Bat Speed (max)
73.4
Bat Speed (avg)
72.2
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
23.6
Hand Speed (avg)
22.1
Bat Speed (max)
75.7
Bat Speed (avg)
72.8
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)

Vizual_Edge

Visual Skills
72.08
Edge Score
(06/13/22)

Swift

Swift
1.64
10-yd
(06/13/22)
3.78
30-yd
(06/13/22)
6.83
60-yd
(06/13/22)
20.1
Run speed (max)
(06/13/22)
8.8
Run Speed (avg)
(06/13/22)
Swift
10-yd
1.64
30-yd
3.78
60-yd
6.83
Run speed (max)
20.1
Run Speed (avg)
8.8

Recruiting Process Has Ups And Downs For Brancel

HUNTSBURG - A recruiting process that started out in a big way has slowed down immensely for Dom Brancel. But the Hawken junior is not letting it bring him down, instead it has the top-ranked uncommitted 2023 in the state working harder than ever to reach his goal of playing at the next level.

“I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing, be in the weight room four days a week and going to camps,” related Brancel, who went to a Bradley camp this month and is going to one at Ball State in January. “I’m hoping to show schools the great qualities about myself and my abilities as a baseball player.”

Recruitment began freshman year with Virginia Tech the first college to make contact with Brancel. Notre Dame, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State and Pittsburgh were among others making inquiries into the catcher, now rated fourth among juniors in Ohio behind the plate.

“I had a really good season and was talking with 10 to 12 schools including seven or eight Power 5,” Brancel reflected. “I didn’t have any offers, though, schools wanted to see me in person. But then Covid came into play. Then the summer going into my junior year I didn’t have a super season and a lot of them dropped out.

“It’s been nothing like I expected as a freshman,” the 5-10 185-pounder admitted. “My coaches and everyone around me told me how it was going to be and that I’ll have a lot of offers and decisions to make, but it hasn’t turned out to be the same path that others take. It’s disappointing that’s the way it has gone.”

Even a visit scheduled in November never materialized.

“They just stopped responding,” Brancel said of a potential trip to the Naval Academy.

It has the 27th-ranked 2023 in Ohio more determined than ever.

“The main thing now is to try and get bigger, stronger, faster so I can go out next season, be explosive and hopefully spark some eyes,” Brancel noted.

So what about the 17-year-old are colleges neglecting to see?

“I think they’re missing not only the abilities I bring as a baseball player, but the work ethic I bring every day and the grind,” Brancel explained. “I’m gonna push my teammates so we can reach our potential 110 percent every day.”

That comes with the territory behind the plate.

“I started catching at age nine,” Brancel said. “I like being able to see the whole field and being part of every play. My dad was a catcher and I’ve always wanted to be like him. He still works with me as much as he can to help out. He said I’ve passed him as a player.”

A participant in the Future Games for Team Ohio in late summer, Brancel is hoping improvement on the field brings renewed intrigue from schools at the next level.

“At this point in time I’d like to open the doors back up and get started with some different schools,” Brancel pointed out. “Up until now I’ve gone to a few PBR events and had some interest from college coaches there. I’ve also had one or two calls from coaches seeing video, but a lot of my exposure has been in big tournaments and coaches seeing me there.”

An exit velo approaching 100 and a pop time less than 2.0 are numbers that Brancel has shown to go along with 77 velocity behind the plate and a 7.07 time in the 60.

“The biggest feedback I’ve had is with my arm strength,” Brancel said of where coaches feel he needs to get better. “The biggest thing is they don’t know if I can throw runners out. I know I can do that. I’ve been working hard on that and just trying to fix some little things.

“For me, the biggest improvement I’m working on now is with my glove. This past season I had a little too much glove movement and I just need to keep it simple.”

While working on getting better at different aspects of his game, there are other valuable skills that Brancel brings to the table,  

“One big strength is hitting, my ability to drive in runs and control the bat,” Brancel explained. “With catching I do a good job of receiving as well as controlling the pitching staff. That’s one of the most important parts of catching, to be able to go out and settle pitchers down and get them back in the zone.”

Exercise science or kinesiology are potential majors for the 3.6 GPA student, who has no definitive blue print when it comes to a college.

“At this point in my life now, I want to stay within an eight-hour range of home,” Brancel said. “Bigger or smaller schools, that doesn’t matter in my decision, I just don’t want to be 30 hours or even just 10 minutes from home.”


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