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PODCAST: Northern CA ProCase

STOCKTON, CA. - The 2019 MLB Draft was completed on June 5th and on June 9th, it was time to turn our attention to the 2020 class at the Northern California ProCase. A select group of players were invited to participate in this exclusive event geared toward draft prospects and high level collegiate talents with future draft potential. Players were put through a pro-style workout with various stats/data recorded during the workouts which can be found HERE. 

Be sure to click on the highlighted player to see more video and notes from previous viewings at PBR events and game play from previous spring seasons. We continue our player spotlights from the event:

C/3B Tyler Soderstrom (Turlock)

Tyler Soderstrom, a 2020 C/3B and a UCLA commit, is listed at 6-foot-2, 188-pounds. He's lean and athletically proportioned and has loose, easy, graceful actions and body movements. He's an athletic catcher with the ability to play multiple positions and play them well. Soderstrom has a pretty well-defined lower body but he's not physical yet, rather, just really well-proportioned. Behind the plate he moves quietly and efficiently and nothing he does behind the plate is forced. There is very likely more size and muscularity in the coming years and he likely will retain the athleticism and agility. He ran a 7.00 60-yard dash, which just goes to show the innate athleticism he possesses.

As for his measurable tools/talents as a defensive player, Soderstrom showed well but there is more growth ahead for him. He worked out at both catcher (80 mph) and 3rd base (82 mph) and displayed a strong arm from both positions, an arm that can be graded as a future above average tool, possibly approaching a plus tool. During spring game action I observed a little better velocity on a throw to 2nd base (82 mph). He gets rid of the ball well and the consistent 1.98-2.01 pop throws were among the best range of the five VERY good catchers at the ProCase. Soderstrom does have a lower release that can cause tail on his throws and limit the amount of tracking carry. The arm is loose however and his footwork is outstanding. That same footwork was on display when he worked out at 3rd base, where his actions were crisp, smooth, and clean.

As a receiver he has soft and strong hands and manipulates the ball very well, with subtle actions that display a high level of skill and nuance of the position. He sits comfortably and presents a welcoming target for his pitchers. Soderstrom's ability to block and control, as well as to pick balls when necessary, are all well above average and are part of the entire defensive profile that projects him as a future plus defender behind the plate. Graded alone as a 3rd baseman he grades out as an above average defender, which as we get to the offensive tools, makes Soderstrom a really intriguing prospect.

He's a left-handed hitter and has the type of easy swing, with strength, that would be looked upon favorably as simply a position player, say a 3rd baseman. However, he is a catcher with hit tools that project as above average and THAT is a big deal and very attractive to the MLB scouting community. Let's take the profile further and consider that his father Steve briefly pitched in the Big Leagues (Giants, 1996). So we are talking about an athletic, toolsy, left-hand hitting catcher with big league bloodlines and all the intangibles that no doubt have been ingrained growing up as the son of a big leaguer.

Soderstrom posted a 93 mph exit velocity off a tee, using a wood bat. So the bat speed, barrel control and mechanics are there for him to hit with power. The swing happens easily and he showed the ability work the ball around the field during his BP rounds. He did lose some barrel control when ramping up the effort level in a round when he was 'letting it eat' a bit, getting toward the end of the bat and over rotating his upper half. That is something I also witnessed in a game during the spring vs a left-handed pitcher with a good curveball. Staying through the middle and gap to gap will be a key to his ability to hit for average. The power will be there, enough to project as average usable power and possibly more.

Adding it all up... the athleticism, the tools, the left-hand hitting catcher profile, the ability to play a corner position and the bloodlines/intangibles, and what we have with Tyler Soderstrom is an elite prospect who for some scouts, will be rated the top high school catching prospect in a loaded 2020 class in California.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE	STATE	DATE	LOCATION
Inland Empire Top Prospect ID	CA	07/23	Santiago High School
Northern California Top Prospect ID	CA	07/24	St. Mary's College
Junior Future Games	NATIONAL	07/30	LakePoint
2019 PBR Future Games (California Invite)	CA	07/31	LakePoint - Cartersville, GA
California State Games	CA	08/17	Vanguard University
Kern County Prospect I.D.	CA	09/07	Cal State Bakersfield
SoCal Prospect Games	CA	09/14	JSerra High School
Rising Stars Showcase	CA	09/21	Santiago High School

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