Underclass Trials Anaylsis: Catchers

John Daniel Coleman is a 2022 catching prospect from Effingham County and he checked in at 5-foot-10, 155-pounds. The terms athletic and versatile immediately come to mind when describing Coleman.  He hits from both sides of the plate with a compact stroke, showing the ability to drive the ball in the gaps from both sides. He also posted a very respectable 86-Exit Velocity. Defensively his 76-Catcher Velocity was impressive, but that combined with excellent feet helped him to post an impressive Pop Times between 1.94-2.08. Coleman probably had one of the most accurate arms at the event and it was again led by his footwork, getting the ball in & out of his glove with fluid compact actions. Coleman is very sound in what he does right now and has plenty of strength coming to his young frame. 

Tyler Jackson is a 2022 catcher from North Springs Charter School and checks in at 5-foot-9, 145-pounds. Jackson showed good bat-speed at the Underclass Trials and made consistent hard contact and used the entire field.  He showed excellent right-handed actions in the batters box. HIs feet and hands worked well behind the plate and has projectability to what he is doing behind the plate. Will be one to watch closely over the next year.

Carson Hill is a well built 2023 from Cass High School who checks in at 5-foot-9, 190-pounds. At the plate HIll has a deep load from the right-side and projects to be a long and strong right handed bat in the future (78 exit velocity).  His has a flat stroke and barrel stays in the zone well. Defensively his hands work and uses proper footwork in being quick to second-base. Hill still has plenty of time and will only be a freshman this Spring but shows solid technique to was he is doing. 

Andrew Walton is a young 2022 1B/C prospect from Lanier High School.  He checks in at 6-foot-1, 190-pounds. Walton has an excellent right handed swing and approach for a big fellow.  He is fluid in his actions with a negative toe tap load to stay balanced and on his backside. His hands are loose and the baseball stays hit, as he is in the zone with his barrel with bat-speed. He posted one of the best exit velocities at the event at 90 mph. Defensively Walton has an excellent arm stroke for a catcher and was accurate, getting his feet where they need to be consistently. Walton is a big kid and is only going to get stronger, he has the agility to progress into a very good backstop as he continues to work and maintain his flexibility, while adding a little more suddenness to what he already possess.  Either way this is a good looking bat with a legit chance to be impactful on defense and on offense, hopefully he stays with the catching because it is in there, but will have to work for it. Can’t wait to see what kind of player he grows into and will be a close follow going forward.

Eli Barrow is a young 2023 catching prospect from Cedartown High School.  He checks in at a sturdy 5-foot-9, 195-pounds. Cedartown has some good looking youngster coming into that program.  Barrow is strong and hits from an upright stance with good extension and lift to what he does. His barrel placement will have to be watched as he can get the bat up and into hitting position late at times, but when on time he has little trouble impacting the baseball.  Defensively he shows plenty of arm and the technique to progress behind the plate. He receives the baseball well and possess plenty of arm strength. If Barrow can maintain and grow his flexibility, he has a chance to turn himself into an impactful catch and throw guy with power in the future.

Nat Taylor is a 2022 catching prospect from Wheeler High School.  He checks in at 5-foot-11, 190-pounds. Taylor is a good receiver of the baseball and has an excellent arm stroke from behind the plate.  His transfers are solid, but often leads with his shoulders to make his feet follow. As he learns to let his feet position his shoulders he has a chance to be very accurate also and already shows aptitude for this presently. At the plate Taylor is upright with a wide base and rocks to load, but still manages to keep his head pretty still.  He shows the ability to lift the baseball and has a good frame to add event more strength. Interesting looking ingredients to this young catching prospect.

Jimbo Gaines is a young lean framed 2022 catcher from Cartersville High School.  He checked in at 5-foot-11, 140-pounds. Gaines has a good looking frame that is projectable and will add strength with more maturity.  In the batters box he has quiet, sound approach and when working the middle of the field was consistently getting hard line drive contact.  The bat projects well with this young hitter. He shows good flexibility behind the plate, but will want to work through dropping to a knee on receiving the baseball, because he has good hands and receives well.  His arm stroke is very compact and short and projects well with strength. As he works on his sadness behind the plate, look for Gaines to turn himself into a very capable backstop with a good approach. Strong follow for this 2022. 

Mason Walter is a projectable looking young catching prospect from Parkview High School.  He checks in at 5-foot-11, 170-pounds. Parkview has long had a strong catching tradition and looks like Watler has a chance to keep that going.  He is athletic behind the dish and his hands and feet work well, he flashed advanced actions behind the plate and showed a pop time of 2.26-2.41. Because his feet work so well he was both quick and accurate to secondbase. At the plate Watler stands tall and keep the bat in the zone with some nice pull side loft, but also shows the ability to stay on and through the baseball for hard contact the other way.  Advanced receiving prospect with very projectable actions across the board. 

Griffin Hedrick is a young catcher/thirdbase prospect prospect from Lakeside and comes in at 5-foot-8, 120-pounds. He has a long lean frame and shows a balanced set-up at the player with good loft to the pull side, showing excellent extension out from and a compact path to get there.  It is a very projectable stroke that has a chance to grow in power as he matures. Behind the plate Hedrick is flexible and plays low to the ground. The young catcher still needs to work on his transfer, right now it is two separate actions, but as he learns to combine receiving and throwing look for his op time to improve.