The Joliet Open took place on Sunday, March 28th at the brand-new Rhino Baseball Academy in Shorewood, Ill. The event was open to all high school classes (2021-2024). Shortly after the event we took a look at the event with a Quick Hits article as well as a Statistical Analysis. 

Today we begin the positional breakdown from the event with a look at the catchers in attendance. C Andrew Mack (Minooka, 2023) put together a strong all-around performance and earned the top honors from the event. 

There were a number of other quality backstops in attendance below, a couple who fell just outside the top-five. Read on below for more.

TOP CATCHING PROSPECTS

1. Andrew Mack, Minooka (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 6-0, 190-pounds. Strong build.
Hit: RHH. Crouched setup, smooth load, leg kick, maintains balance throughout. Present bat speed for his age, good approach, uphill path, pull side, fluid rhythm.
Power: 95.37 max exit velocity, averaged 84.12 mph. 355’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 77 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4, accurate with carry.
Defense: 2.00-2.12 pop times. Soft hands, quick footwork, quick exchange, athletic actions.
Run: 7.29 runner in the 60. 

2. Dylan Sayles, Hononegah (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 6-0, 170-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, short stride. Short path, line drive approach with fluid rhythm.
Power: 91.44 max exit velocity, averaged 76.12 mph. 261’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 79 mph. OF - 85 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot, accurate arm, with carry on throws.
Defense: 2.01-2.09 pop times. Soft hands, quick footwork, quick exchange, athletic fielding
Run: 7.05 runner in the 60. 

3. Danny Rollins, Lake Park (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/SS
Body: 5-9, 165-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Tall stance with balanced setup, short smooth stride, strong lower half. Short swing, gap to gap approach, direct barrel path, hit several line drive up the middle.
Power: 95.74 max exit velocity, averaged 89.73 mph. 355’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. INF - 76 mph. High 3/4 exchange, short arm action, accurate with carry effortless arm strength.
Defense: 2.01-2.15 pop times. Soft hands, great feet allow hands to work, quick exchange, athletic actions.
Run: 7.57 runner in the 60. 

4. William Millard, O’Fallon (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/SS
Body: 5-10, 180-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, leg kick. Present speed, whole field approach, uphill path, pull side, fluid rhythm.
Power: 89.6 max exit velocity, averaged 82.97 mph. 312’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 release.
Defense: 2.02-2.14 pop times. Quick footwork, quick hands, effortless throwing, stays online with the target.
Run: 7.75 runner in the 60.

5. Filip Milatovic, Von Steuben (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 5-10, 200-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Tall stance with balanced setup, short stride, smooth load. Short swing, direct barrell path, good bat speed, pull side power.
Power: 93.76 max exit velocity, averaged 79.94 mph. 301’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. INF - 75 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot, avg arm strength.
Defense: 2.09-2.17 pop times. Fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.60 runner in the 60.  

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Christian Battista, Oswego East (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/RHP
Body: 5-10, 185-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Crouched setup, smoothl load, leg kick.  Uphill path, power to pull side,
Power: 90.13 max exit velocity, averaged 84.44 mph. 336’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4, accurate throws with carry.
Defense: 1.97-2.06 pop times. Quick footwork, quick exchange, soft hands.
Run: 7.96 runner in the 60. 

Cole Blazekovich, Minooka (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 6-1, 160-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Open setup, smooth load, long stride. Average bat speed, good approach, level bat path, pull side power.
Power: 86.72 max exit velocity, averaged 72.4 mph. 315’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Long arm action, over the top slot, accuracy, average arm strength.
Defense: 2.10-2.29 pop times. Soft hands, fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.47 runner in the 60. 

Lukas Cheris, New Trier (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 6-0, 188-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, short stride. Average bat speed, good approach, short bat path, line drive pull side approach
Power: 93.53 max exit velocity, averaged 81.12 mph. 333’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. Long arm action, over the top slot, average arm strength.
Defense: 2.25-2.32 pop times. Soft hands, fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.66 runner in the 60. 

Andrew Coats, Normal West (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-10, 190-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced open setup, smooth load, short stride. Fast bat speed, good approach, short path, pull side power.
Power: 93.84 max exit velocity, averaged 76.2 mph. 282’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot, accurate throws with carry.
Defense: 2.08-2.24 pop times. Soft hands, fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.56 runner in the 60. 

Grant DeRose, Manteno (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-10, 200-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Open setup, smooth load, long stride, good balance. Fast bat speed, good approach, short path, pull side power.
Power: 89.97 max exit velocity, averaged 81.95 mph. 321’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. Short arm action, 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.00-2.06 pop times. Quick footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.92 runner in the 60. 

Richard Hagen, Lockport (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 6-0, 155-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, short stride. Average bat speed, good approach, short bat path, line drive approach.
Power: 85.44 max exit velocity, averaged 75.59 mph. 299’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. Long arm action, over the top slot, average arm strength.
Defense: 2.25-2.41 pop times. Soft hands, fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.41 runner in the 60. 

Heath Hornke, Normal West (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: RHP/C
Body: 5-11, 145-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Tall open stance, quick load, slight leg kick. Level swing, in and out of the zone, pull approach, choppy rhythm.
Power: 89.08 max exit velocity, averaged 81.85 mph. 311’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. Long arm action, over the top slot, some accuracy, average arm strength.
Defense: 2.24-2.42 pop times. Soft hands, fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.94 runner in the 60. 

Joe Jefferson, Normal West (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/SS
Body: 5-11, 180-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, tall setup, smooth load, short stride. Short compact fluid swing, direct barrel path produced line drives, flashed pull side power, simple repeatable swing.
Power: 95.08 max exit velocity, averaged 81.42 mph. 324’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. INF - 78 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot, accurate throws with carry.
Defense: 2.01-2.09 pop times. Soft hands, quick footwork, quick exchange, athletic actions.
Run: 7.58 runner in the 60. 

Nate Locker, Homewood-Flossmoor (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-9, 180-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, short stride. Average bat speed, good approach, short path
Power: 85.07 max exit velocity, averaged 78.06 mph. 292’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 68 mph. OF - 76 mph. Long arm action, over the top slot, average arm strength.
Defense: 2.30-2.39 pop times. Soft hands, fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.59 runner in the 60. 

John Serritella, Providence Catholic (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 5-7, 199-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, leg kick. Uphill path, power to pull side,
Power: 96.09 max exit velocity, averaged 83.75 mph. 338’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 65 mph. Over the top arm action, good arm strength
Defense: 2.38-2.48 pop times. Soft hands, fluid footwork, clean exchange
Run: 8.38 runner in the 60. 

Gabe Spitz, Highland Park (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-10, 180-pounds. Athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, quiet short leg-lift, smooth loading action. Simple swing, short path, works slightly uphill through the zone, gap-to-gap approach.
Power: 86.66 max exit velocity, averaged 75.56 mph. 300’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short arm action, over the top slot, consistently around the second base bag and throws flashed carry.
Defense: 2.03-2.15 pop times. Fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.40 runner in the 60. 

Donald Timon, Mascoutah (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/RHP
Body: 5-11, 170-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced open setup, smooth load, short toe tap stride. Average bat speed, good approach, short bat path, line drive pull side approach.
Power: 84.32 max exit velocity, averaged 76.01 mph. 311’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 release.
Defense: 2.03-2.14 pop times. Soft hands, quick footwork, quick exchange, athletic fielding.
Run: 7.71 runner in the 60. 

Abram Wills, Coal City (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP/C
Body: 6-0, 195-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Crouched open setup, smooth pre-pitch load, leg kick to a long stride, good balance. Average bat speed, short path, line drive approach with fluid rhythm.
Power: 95.39 max exit velocity, averaged 86.01 mph. 356’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 80 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 arm slot, some accuracy with carry.
Defense: 2.00-2.12 pop times. Soft hands, fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.29 runner in the 60. 

John Wubben, Galena (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-10, 165-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, short stride. Average bat speed, good approach, short level bat path, line drive swing with fluid rhythm.
Power: 87.68 max exit velocity, averaged 77.6 mph. 263’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. Long arm action, over the top slot, average arm strength.
Defense: 2.10-2.22 pop times. Soft hands, fluid footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.76 runner in the 60. 

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