Prep Baseball Report

Houston Preseason ID: Catcher Analysis


PBR Texas Staff

On Saturday, January 7th, the PBR Texas Staff traveled to Weatherford College to host the Houston Preseason ID. The event featured prospects of all HS classes from around the state and provided our staff an ample look at every player in attendance.

For a look at all the prospects that attended this event, click HERE. To see all of the statistics from this event, click HERE.

We continue the analysis from the event with a look at all of the catchers. We broke down the top-four catchers on the day followed by the rest in attendance. 

Read on below for a look at all of the writeups and prospects from the day.

TOP catchers

1. John Dolan, Hargrave Huffman, 2026
Positional Profile: C/3B Dolan has big power potential at the plate, and shows good receiving skills behind the plate. He has all the tools to be one of the top '26's in the state.
Body: 5-11, 185-pounds.
Hits: SH. 50/50 set up, rocks back for load. Hands start high and stay high throughout load, attack down on ball on contact.
Power: 86 max exit velocity, averaged 75.8 MPH. 307' max distance. Barrel stays flat through zone and gets on plane early. Shows power potential to all fields
Arm: RH. C-77 mph. OF-86 mph. delivers accurate throws to 2B with quick arm action.
Defense: 2.00-2.12 pop times. goof footwork on throws to 2B, receives decent.
Run: 7.52 runner in the 60.

2. Chase Bradley, Grand Oaks, 2026
Positional Profile: C/OF Bradley has all the tools to be a high end P5 catcher. He is a good athlete who takes pride in his craft behind the plate.
Body: 6-0, 170-pounds.
Hits: RHH. 50/50 set up, rocks weight back with low leg kick load. Hands start high and stay high as he comes down to the ball at contact.
Power: 84 max exit velocity, averaged 78.7 MPH. 319' max distance. Creates backspin and delivers consistent, hard contact. Gets on plane early. more power will come as he fills out.
Arm: RH. C-73 mph. Accurate throws to bag, gets ball out fast.
Defense: 2.00-2.10 pop times. receives well and has good footwork on throws to 2nd.
Run: 7.24 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 63.95 Edge Score

3. Collin Martin, Grand Oaks, 2026
Positional Profile: C/1B Martin displayed some really good bat speed and pullside power. Talented freshman C has a projectable frame and could be a P5 guy once he fills out.
Body: 6-2, 183-pounds.
Hits: RHH. 60/40 stance with low leg kick. High effort swing with a lift/ uppercut.
Power: 94 max exit velocity, averaged 75.7 MPH. 353' max distance. Really quick hands, big swing and finish. Every swing he takes is with conviction, has big pull side power.
Arm: RH. short arm action, gets ball out quick
Defense: Receives well, good footwork on throws.
Run: 7.41 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 76.41 Edge Score

4. Kai Kirchheiner, Foster, 2025
Positional Profile: C/OF Kirchheiner is a solid defensive catcher who also posseses a solid offensive profile. He should be a good catcher on both sides of the ball.
Body: 5-9, 174-pounds.
Hits: RHH. 60/40, starts open and steps closed. Gets into his legs. Hands are on plane through the zone.
Power: 95 max exit velocity, averaged 83.5 MPH. 304' max distance. Consistent hard contact with backspin, barrell stays in the zone a long time.
Arm: RH. C-77 mph. showed good footwork/transfer and accurate throws.
Defense: 2.00-2.12 pop times. showed good footwork and transfers on throws, receives decent.
Run: 7.21 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 72.42 Edge Score
 

 

BEST OF THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Bryce Lovins, Heritage, 2023
Positional Profile: C/3B Lovins shows good defensive skills behind the plate. He offers some power at the plate as well.
Body: 5-7, 200-pounds.
Hits: RHH. 50/50 stance, heel up/download. Drops hands to get on plane and work up through ball at contact.
Power: 86 max exit velocity, averaged 74 MPH. 320' max distance. Has a swing plane geared to drive the ball in the air.
Arm: RH. C-74 mph. INF-78 mph.short and quick arm action.
Defense: 2.15-2.22 pop times. Mostly throws off back foot.
Run: 7.59 runner in the 60.

Alejandro Padilla, Bridgeland, 2026
Positional Profile: C/3B Padilla has a strong projectable frame that could produce middle of the lineup power once he fills out.
Body: 6-2, 175-pounds.
Hits: RHH. Tall 70/30 stance, starts open, high leg kick load Drops hands to get on plane, long finish.
Power: 83 max exit velocity, averaged 71.4 MPH. 302' max distance. Tries to elevate and lift at contact, has a long finish, produces lots of fly balls.
Arm: RH. C-68 mph. INF-71 mph.Short arm action, accurate throws to 2B.
Defense: 2.18-2.25 pop times. quiet feet, low effort throw.
Run: 7.69 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 66.51 Edge Score

Austin Reed, St. Francis Episcopal, 2025
Positional Profile: C/RHP Reed is a talented 2 way who shows pullside power and a strong FB/SL mix. Looked really good behind the plate.
Body: 5-9, 165-pounds.
Hits: RHH. 50/50 stance, low leg kick. Hands start high and work straight to the ball.
Power: 86 max exit velocity, averaged 81.6 MPH. 318' max distance. Finds consistent barrel, shows pullside power, genereates natural backspin.
Arm: RH. C-74 mph. short arm action, accurate throws.
Defense: 2.00-2.11 pop times. Clean transfer and footwork on throws.
Run: 7.96 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 45.13 Edge Score

Owen Sherrill, St. John's, 2025
Positional Profile: C/RHP Sherrill showed feel for 3 quality pitches on the mound and a high energy swing with pullside power.
Body: 6-0, 212-pounds.
Hits: RHH. 50/50 stance, simple load. Hands start high and work down to ball, high effort swing and finish.
Power: 87 max exit velocity, averaged 75.5 MPH. 316' max distance. Shows ability to backspin ball, gap to gap power.
Arm: RH. C-70 mph. INF-76 mph.short arm action, made accurate throws.
Defense: 2.16-2.22 pop times. receives well and good footwork on throws to 2B.
Run: 7.64 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 69.66 Edge Score

Jack Stanger, St. John's, 2-26
Positional Profile: C/RHP Big projectable 2 way freshman shows feel for 3 quality pitches on mound with more velo to come, and a swing that produced pullside power with more to come as well.
Body: 6-0, 175-pounds.
Hits: RHH. Tall 50/50 stance, strides for load. Hands start high and drop to get on plane, natural lift.
Power: 87 max exit velocity, averaged 79.7 MPH. 313' max distance. Shows ability to backspin ball, power will only increase as he gets stronger, projectable frame.
Arm: RH. delivered accurate throws on line.
Defense: good footwork on throws.
Run: 8.05 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 77.32 Edge Score

Paden Tortorice, Cypress Lakes, 2023
Positional Profile: C/1B Tortorice delivered accurate throwdowns to 2B and showed some pull side gap power at the plate. Pop Time will continue to improve as arm gets stronger.
Body: 5-8, 165-pounds.
Hits: RHH. 50/50 stance, simple load. Hands start at shoulder height and stay flat through zone.
Power: 81 max exit velocity, averaged 68.2 MPH. 268' max distance. Hands work quick through the zone, gets backspin hitting mostly fly balls and line drives.
Arm: RH. C-70 mph. accurate throws to 2B.
Defense: 2.28-2.30 pop times. Decent receiving.
Run: 7.48 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 62.2 Edge Score

Zachary Tuxhorn, Clear Lake, 2025
Positional Profile: C/1B The sophomore catcher showed ability to produce hard contact and had really good pop times hovering around 2.0.
Body: 5-11, 190-pounds.
Hits: RHH. 50/50 stance, rocks back and toe taps for load. Hands work up through the ball at contact.
Power: 90 max exit velocity, averaged 73.4 MPH. 304' max distance. Able to get on plane early and hit consistent hard Line Drives with good carry.
Arm: RH. C-74 mph. Made accurate throws down to 2B.
Defense: 2.10-2.20 pop times. Received well and showed good footwork on throws.
Run: 7.61 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 81.09 Edge Score

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
DFW Rising Stars ID TX 04/08 Lake Dallas High School - Corinth, TX
Lake Charles Summer Open TX 05/21 Barbe High School - Lake Charles, LA
DFW Summer Open TX 05/30 Lake Dallas High School - Corinth, TX
Top Prospect Games: North Texas (Invite-Only) TX 06/13 Texas Christian University
East Texas Summer Open TX 06/14 Tyler Junior College (Mike Carter Field) - Tyler, TX
Top Prospect Games: Central Texas (Invite-Only) TX 06/20 Texas State University
Top Prospect Games: South Texas (Invite-Only) TX 06/27 Texas A&M University


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