Maxwell
Romero Jr.

Cape Cod- Stuck behind CJ Rodriguez, Romero was limited to 50 at-bats and limited action behind the plate as a freshman at Vandy this spring, and he entered the transfer portal this summer but as of yet has not announced if he is leaving. He impressed with his lefthanded power as well as his defense behind the plate for Chatham this summer. A thick-bodied 6-foot-1, 230-pounder with huge, powerful thighs, Romero uses a crouch stance and average hand position, and he did a good job driving the ball with authority middle-away in our looks this summer. He finished with five homers and a .264 average, though he also had plenty of swing-and-miss (30 K against 5 BB) in 27 games), so his pitch selection could use some improvement — but we saw him hit quality sliders as well as mid-90s fastballs. Romero also watched what he ate and got his body into better shape this summer, which helped his mobility behind the plate. He ditched the one-knee receiving setup he started the summer with, and the adjustment helped his receiving and blocking improve. He also showed solid-average arm strength, and he was able to make better use of it once he abandoned the one-knee approach.

10/20/18 - Vanderbilt commit. 6-foot, 205-pound, left-handed hitting catcher, stocky frame, strength throughout, defined lower half. Short, compact swing at the plate, natural loft, gap-to-gap approach with further developing pull-side power. Defensively receives the ball with strong hands/wrists, footwork is quick and fluid. A high follow given hitting/power ability from left-side and defensive skill.

10/12/18 - Vanderbilt commit. 6-foot-1, 200-pound left-handed hitting catcher has a bit of a funky leg kick, but overall shows one of the more advanced overall hit tools. He manages to get his foot down and stay on time and in rhythm. He has a strong lower half and works aggressively through the zone while staying compact with a slight uphill path that stays in the zone a long time.  Defensively, he is above average defender. There is a lot going on in the setup as he will get on one knee and moves quite a bit, but the hands work and a bit more simple setup has all of the tools to be an above average receiver and blocker. Had pop times that ranged from 2.0-2.2 and throws have carry. Overall, he continued to show why he is the top catcher in the state.

05/20/18- Vanderbilt recruit. Standing at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, he may have the strongest lower half of the day. Defensively, he shows an above average arm, but his natural feel behind the plate is noticeable He moves around and directs traffic with confidence. He is an above average receiver and blocker, working in the 1.9-2.03 range he shows the makings of an above average all around defender. Offensively, he is what you look for in a left-handed hitting catcher. The swing is compact, with natural loft and shows an advanced gap-to--gap approach with pull side power and more to come. Overall, he is an advanced catcher with feel to hit and power potential from the left side, which will make him a big riser and a high follow.  

10/1/17- The uncommitted 6-foot, 185 pound catcher looks bigger and stronger than listed. He has a thick, strong lower half and durable catchers frame. Defensively he is flexible and shows the makings of an above average defensive catcher. He gets into quality receiving positions with good hands and moves and blocks well. He has an above average arm and quality footwork with consistent, accurate 2.0-2.1 pop times. He really stood out offensively. He uses his strong lower half, stays balanced and has an above average approach. He has a short swing and drove balls from line to line with present power and more to come. There is a lot to like and shouldn’t be uncommitted long as he has tools and takes charge from the behind the plate.