Bay Area Open: Catchers

2020 C/2B Ketan Bagade - Prospect - 5-9, 150, R/R

Medium frame, high waist with tight firm muscles in squared frame; choppy short stride (7.97 60 yd). Slightly turned crouch with low hips and low target; pulls glove hand to the throwing hand with a clean transfer. Compact arm from his ear keeping the ball at the base with a quicker release; limited arm strength (69 MPH). Glove hand is strong with ability to go grab the ball and move it around the zone; flexibility in his hips to move to one knee and maintain wrist strength. Blocking showed well with firm chest, rolled shoulders and wide base being able to rotate the glove with some lateral agility. Offensively, stands tall with even hands holding high back elbow; high front leg kick raising back elbow with the knee. Short barrel turn slotting back elbow to the body keeping more direct hand path to the baseball; compact barrel with full two-hand finish around shoulder. Worked the middle of the field showing ability to drive liners into the OF with good balance through contact (78 EV). 

2020 C/OF Alex Nguyen - James Logan - 5-8, 165, R/R

Compact, full build with some rolled muscle in the shoulders and chest; better underway runner (7.69 60yd). Wide base behind the plate with lower hips popping up high (2.04-2.13 Pop); glove has the ability to go to the ball working back towards the body where the high release, compact arm is consistent in putting the ball around the bag (70 MPH). Quick to his knees with firm chest for blocks; used his flexibility behind the plate to move side-to-side. Quiet behind the plate when receiving soft glove and firm wrist; consistent in his presenting and receiving. At the plate, balanced stance keeping hands back with bat on back shoulder and flared elbows; quick knee tuck with ability to gain some ground having small hand drop. Trigger is quick from a good hitting position having compact barrel working from direct hands; barrel worked best on more level path through the zone. Worked the middle of the field to oppo gap with some carry allowing ball to get deeper into the zone (82 MPH); aggressive hacks.

2020 C/3B Zachary Enos - Kennedy - 5-10, 165 R/R

Medium frame with longer torso and wider strength in the lower half; shorter stride getting to full speed quickly (7.66 60yd). Low target with unbalanced stance pushing off the back foot; moves glove to hand quickly. Compact release from quick wrist (71 MPH) with balls regularly at the glove side of the bag (2.04-2.08 Pop). Some agility with push to block using his glove well; ability to grab the short-hop and back hand balls. Showed tight, low target receiving; times where ball moves the glove. Can keep strengthening glove wrist to better manipulate the baseball. Slightly opened, balanced stance at the plate with flared elbows resting barrel on back shoulder; foot lift and place with hands having short load back starting to turn the barrel. Quicker turn of the barrel getting on plane and working on a slightly upward path as he keeps the hands tight to the body. Timing was inconsistent, but when he found it was able to lift balls to the middle of the field (79 EV). 

2022 C/SS Zander Ditona - Castro Valley - 5-9, 145, R/R

Wiry, athletic frame with squared shoulders and some length in the torso. Quick out of stance with good first steps; can see the run time improving as he continues to mature and strengthen (7.65 60 yd). Opened stance with relaxed elbows having slight barrel bounce from deep set lower hands; bigger leg kick with weight staying over back foot as hands work back. Made adjustments on his timing quickly removing the length around the baseball while remaining behind the baseball; swing is level able to work the ball gap-to-gap projecting more carry with his ability to work slightly under the baseball (80 EV). Wide stance behind the plate showed better pop times when he made sure his footwork gained ground inline with 2nd base; quick transfer to put the ball on the arm side of the bag consistently (2.12-2.16 Pop, 70 MPH). Showed strong blocking skills with rolled shoulder able to deaden the ball on his body. Took control behind the plate using the flexibility in his wrist to turn the glove hand around the zone. Good skills with tools that can continue to improve as he grows and matures. 

2023 C/RHP Zachary Justice - Bishop O’Dowd - 5-9, 150, R/R

Very athletic build with advanced strength for his size; hands and feet were both big so some more growth in frame possible (8.19 60yd). Tall stance with very high hands having bat against his back with high wide elbows; rocker into back foot having barrel pulled down and starting back hip to fire. Compact swing with eyes behind the barrel; barrel has slight upward actions through contact while staying level in the zone. Hits over a firm front leg with full body two-handed finish; shows a good transfer of the weight as he stays on the baseball. Worked in the middle of the field showing some lift to the gaps (74 EV); actions were strong with ability to keep improving as he matures and grows. Loose hips behind the plate with ability to rock from side to side to gather momentum on throws to second base; arm is strong and accurate keeping the ball on the bag with very clean transfers (2.01-2.07 Pop, 73 MPH). Very flexible behind the plate working under the baseball with a firm glove hand; catching skills are advanced for age. Performed very well throughout the day with a positive attitude; stayed to catch final bullpens and last guy to leave with consistent effort throughout the day.