Prep Baseball Report

Houston Preseason ID: Catcher Analysis


Tyler King
PBR Texas Scout

CYPRESS, TX- On January 18th, our PBR Texas staff hosted the Houston Preseason ID event to a much anticipated showcase and trials on the confines of Schiel Rd Sports Complex. The event featured a talented group of players from the 2021-2024 classes. Today we give a full breakdown on every catcher in attendance.

+ Quick Hits Notebook
+ Full Stat Sheet

catcher analysis

Xavier Lecours SS / C / Milpitas , CA / 2022

Positional Profile: ss/C

Body: 5-foot-10, 160 pounds. Athletic, projectable build

Hit: RHH. Balanced stance with a narrow base, leg kick load trigger, little hand movement during load, uphill swing path with some length throughout. Line drive/fly ball approach with pull side tendency.

Power: 89.58 mph max exit velocity in BP, 77.94 mph average exit velocity, and 292 feet max distance.

Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. INF - 82 mph. Short arm action, high ¾ slot, accurate throws on the bag, good carry

Defense: 2.13-2.22 pop time. Worked both behind the plate and on the infield. Good hands, quick exchange and release, good footwork behind the plate. Good footwork, uses a small hop to time his reaction, clean funnel to release, good hands, plays through the ball well.

Run: 7.53 runner in the 60.

Bear Wilkins C / Home School, TX / 2023

Positional Profile: C

Body: 5-foot-11, 162 pounds.

Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, slight bend in the knees, lean back load trigger, slight barrel tip to load hands, uphill swing path. Hit the ball back up the middle consistently, some line drives mainly fly balls.

Power: 89.10 mph max exit velocity in BP, 77.45 mph average exit velocity, and 305 feet max distance.

Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. Short arm action, high ¾ slot, good carry, accurate throws on the bag at times.

Defense: 2.15-2.30 pop time. Good footwork, clean exchange to hand, quick exchange at times, quick release at times. Good receiver, shows good strength receiving pitches at the bottom of the zone, good reactions to blocking the breaking ball.

Run: 7.18 runner in the 60.

Mark Lopez Jr. C / SS / Banquete, TX / 2023

Positional Profile: C/SS

Body: 5-foot-11, 160 pounds. Lean build.

Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, slightly narrow base, leg kick and barrel tip load trigger slightly leaning back into back leg, slightly uphill swing path, pull side tendency.

Power: 83.41 mph max exit velocity in BP, 78.43 mph average exit velocity, and 222 feet max distance.

Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. INF - 72 mph. Short arm action, high ¾ slot, good carry, accurate throws on the bag at times.

Defense: 2.21-2.36 pop time. Good hands, clean funnel to release, good footwork. Quiet receiver, shows good ability to present the low pitch.

Run: 7.79 runner in the 60.

Layton Rodriguez C / 3B / Orange Grove, TX / 2023

Positional Profile: C/3B

Body: 5-foot-11, 193 pounds.

Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, slight bend in the knees, wide base, lean back to trigger load, slight barrel tilt to initiate swing, long stride, uphill swing path with some length, hitting balls to all fields.

Power: 84.32 mph max exit velocity in BP, 70.87 mph average exit velocity, and 258 feet max distance.

Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. INF - 71 mph. Short arm action, high ¾ slot, good carry, occasional accurate throws.

Defense: 2.31-2.37 pop time. Worked behind at catcher and infield. Good footwork, clean funnel to release, quick at times; good hands behind the plate. Good footwork at times, fielding the ball out in front and in the middle of body, clean funnel to release at times.

Run: 8.22 runner in the 60.

Adam Rodriguez C / 1B / Milby , TX / 2022

Positional Profile: C

Body: 5-foot-9, 188 pounds.

Hit: RHH. Balanced, open stance, leg lift load trigger leaning back onto back leg, level swing path with some length, fly ball-line drive approach, pull side tendency.

Power: 85.34 mph max exit velocity in BP, 80.34 mph average exit velocity, and 312 feet max distance.

Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. Short arm action, over the top slot, occasional accurate throws.

Defense: 2.19-2.26 pop time. High setup, good footwork, good hands, clean funnel to release. Good receiver, blocks the ball in the dirt well, multiple setups.

Run: 7.92 runner in the 60.

Mekhi Betancis C / 3B / Robinson, TX / 2023

Positional Profile: C/3B

Body: 5-foot-10, 180 pounds.

Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, narrow base, leg lift load trigger, hands move slightly with load trigger, long stride, good lower half explosion, uphill swing path with some length, line drive approach, hitting the ball up the middle and to the pull side.

Power: 89.66 mph max exit velocity in BP, 76.07 mph average exit velocity, and 295 feet max distance.

Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. INF - 74 mph. Short arm action, ¾ slot, good carry, accurate throws.

Defense: 2.22-2.29 pop time. Worked at catcher and infield. Good footwork, works towards his target, clean funnel to release, good hands, good receiver, good ability to present the low pitch at times behind the plate. Stays behind the ball, works through the ball towards his target, clean funnel to release at times, tiny hop to time his reaction.

Run: 7.74 runner in the 60.

Rusten Traxler C / 3B / Orangefield, TX / 2023

Positional Profile: C

Body: 5-foot-11, 185 pounds.

Hit: LHH. Balanced stance, hands slightly low pre-pitch, moves hands up and back to initiate load with a slight leg lift, wraps bat around head, long stride, uphill swing path with length throughout, line drive/fly ball approach, pull side tendency.

Power: 90.68 mph max exit velocity in BP, 82.20 mph average exit velocity, 333 feet max distance, and 18.2% batted balls over 90 mph exit velocity.

Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. Short arm action, ¾ slot, good carry at times, occasional accurate throws.

Defense: 2.29-2.37 pop time. Quick funnel to release, good footwork, good hands, quiet receiver at times, multiple setups

 

Run: 7.94 runner in the 60.

Lane Fuller C / RHP / Santa Fe, TX / 2023

Positional Profile: C/RHP

Body: 6-foot, 180 pounds.

Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, bat resting on shoulder pointing down pre-pitch, barrel tip and leg lift load trigger, long stride, slightly uphill swing path, hitting the ball up the middle but mainly pull side.

Power: 93.87 mph max exit velocity in BP, 79.43 mph average exit velocity, 288 feet max distance, and 20% batted balls over 90 mph exit velocity.

Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. Short arm action, ¾ slot, good carry, accurate throws.

Defense: 2.30-2.45 pop time. Good footwork at times, working towards his target, clean funnel to release, good hands.

 

Run: 7.66 runner in the 60.

Coy Pierce C / Needville, TX / 2022

Positional Profile: C

Body: 6-foot, 185 pounds.

Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, slightly open, drops hands and leg lift to trigger load, barrel tip with load trigger, long stride, uphill swing path, up the middle approach with line drives and fly balls.

Power: 87.11 mph max exit velocity in BP, 78.14 mph average exit velocity, and 301 feet max distance.

Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short arm action, high ¾ slot, good carry, occasional accurate throws.

Defense: 2.01-2.13 pop time. Quick funnel to release, quick release, good hands, good footwork working towards his target, quiet receiver, stays below the ball, good reaction to block the ball in dirt.

 

Run: 7.66 runner in the 60.

William Stonestreet C / Kingwood Park, TX / 2022

Positional Profile: C

Body: 5-foot-11, 200 pounds. Well-built lower half.

Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, slightly open, leg kick load trigger load, good rhythm throughout, moves hands back to initiate swing during the load, level swing path, up the middle approach with some line drives.

Power: 94.44 mph max exit velocity in BP, 81.63 mph average exit velocity, 237 feet max distance and 27.3 % batted balls over 90 mph exit velocity.

Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. Short arm action, ¾ slot, good carry, accurate throws.

Defense: 2.19-2.26 pop time. Quick funnel to release, good hands, good footwork working towards his target, quiet receiver, multiple setups, presents low pitch well.

 

Run: 8.17 runner in the 60.

Jackson Priesmeyer C / Strake Jesuit , TX / 2024

Positional Profile: C

Body: 6-foot, 206 pounds. Broad shoulders, well-built lower half

Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, leg kick load trigger, gets the barrel vertical before attacking the ball, short stride, level swing path, up the middle approach hitting line drives and fly balls with loud contact.

Power: 98.23 mph max exit velocity in BP, 89.91 mph average exit velocity, 350 feet max distance and 40% batted balls over 90 mph exit velocity.

Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. Short arm action, over the top slot, good carry, occasional accurate throws, cutting action to throws.

Defense: 2.19-2.36 pop time. Quick funnel to release, good hands, good footwork working towards his target, quiet receiver, stays low in crouch.

 

Run: 7.40 runner in the 60.

Conner Cramer C / OF / Oak Ridge, TX / 2024

Positional Profile: C/OF

Body: 6-foot-1, 200 pounds.

Hit: LHH. Balanced stance, hands start back pre-pitch, hands and body move slightly back to load, small leg lift to toe tap, short stride, slightly uphill swing path with length throughout, pull side tendency.

Power: 90.50 mph max exit velocity in BP, 78.04 mph average exit velocity, 332 feet max distance and 33.3% batted balls over 90 mph exit velocity.

Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. OF - 76 mph. Short arm action, over the top slot, good carry, occasional accurate throws.

Defense: 2.32-2.41 pop time. Worked at catcher and in the outfield. Clean funnel to release, good hands, good footwork working towards his target at times behind the plate. Good footwork at times, stays behind the ball, fields off of throwing foot, no momentum through the ball in the outfield.

 

Run: 8.08 runner in the 60.

RELATED CONTENT

Positional Profile: C

Body: 5-foot-11, 185 pounds.

Hit: LHH. Balanced stance, hands slightly low pre-pitch, moves hands up and back to initiate load with a slight leg lift, wraps bat around head, long stride, uphill swing path with length throughout, line drive/fly ball approach, pull side tendency.

Power: 90.68 mph max exit velocity in BP, 82.20 mph average exit velocity, 333 feet max distance, and 18.2% batted balls over 90 mph exit velocity.

Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. Short arm action, ¾ slot, good carry at times, occasional accurate throws.

Defense: 2.29-2.37 pop time. Quick funnel to release, good footwork, good hands, quiet receiver at times, multiple setups

Run: 7.94 runner in the 60.

Positional Profile: C

Body: 5-foot-11, 185 pounds.

Hit: LHH. Balanced stance, hands slightly low pre-pitch, moves hands up and back to initiate load with a slight leg lift, wraps bat around head, long stride, uphill swing path with length throughout, line drive/fly ball approach, pull side tendency.

Power: 90.68 mph max exit velocity in BP, 82.20 mph average exit velocity, 333 feet max distance, and 18.2% batted balls over 90 mph exit velocity.

Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. Short arm action, ¾ slot, good carry at times, occasional accurate throws.

Defense: 2.29-2.37 pop time. Quick funnel to release, good footwork, good hands, quiet receiver at times, multiple setups

Run: 7.94 runner in the 60.