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Prospect I.D. Showcase: Catching Analysis

July 8, 2014

By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

The Prep Baseball Report Prospect Identification Showcase held on Tuesday, June 17th at the Max in McCook featured several top catching prospects led by Grayslake Central’s Sam Nozicka who fired off the event’s top pop time at 1.98, and also impressed with his balanced level swing.  Coal City’s DJ Budde also threw well, tying for the top pop time with Nozicka, and consistently throwing 1.98-2.04.  Plainfield South’s Tyler Jensen impressed with his smooth left-handed swing during live batting practice.

Here’s a look at the top catching prospects at the Prospect Identification Showcase.

Top Catching Prospects

1.Sam Nozicka, C/SS, Grayslake Central, 2016
5-foot-11, 170-pound catcher with strong build impressed tying for the top pop time of the event at 1.98.  Pop times generally ranged between 2.04 and 2.18, throwing 74 mph from the crouch from ¾ arm action.  Also impressed during bullpen session, receiving with soft hands and quick feet blocking the baseball.  Hit from a wide setup with very little hand movement, raising back elbow to load/coil core producing level swing with some power to his pull side and 77 mph exit velocity.  Ran 7.76 seconds in the 60.

2. DJ Budde, C/MIF, Coal City, 2015
5-foot-9, 165-pound catcher impressed with the top pop time of the event at 1.98.  Consistently threw 1.98-2.04 down to second, 74 mph from the crouch.  Hits from a tall open setup with hands held high.  Bat whips through the zone with slightly uphill tendencies producing 79 mph exit velocity.  Threw 77 mph across the infield showing a short ¾ arm action and quick release.  Ran 7.25 in the 60.

3. Tyler Jensen, C, Plainfield South, 2016
6-foot-1, 185-pound athletically built left-handed hitting catcher impressed during live batting practice round with smooth swing producing 74 mph exit velocity.  Hits from a tall, open setup getting good extension at contact driving the baseball from gap-to-gap.  Behind the plate, rattled off pop times between 2.11-2.25, throwing 73 mph from the crouch.  Ran 7.56 in the 60.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Tyler Bordner, C/OF, Morris, 2015
6-foot-3, 180-pound lank and athletic right-handed hitting catcher hit from a tall open setup with hands starting low, moving back considerably to load.  Showed fluid rhythm and short stride driving the ball from gap-to-gap and producing 85 mph exit velocity.  Threw 78 mph from the outfield and 70 mph from the crouch with pop times ranging between 2.18-2.22.  Arm action is long and high ¾ both form the outfield and behind the plate.  Ran 7.23 in the 60.

Kyle Brindac, C, Downers Grove South, 2016
5-foot-11, 185-pound catcher hits from a wide base with hands held high and an uphill bat path producing 72 mph exit velocity.  Defensively, behind the plate threw 2.37-2.47 down to second base.  Ran 7.71 in the 60.

Kevin Davis, C, Lockport, 2017
6-foot-1, 170 pound catcher hit from a balanced open stance with slightly uphill bat path impressing with some power to his pull side in live batting practice.  Produced exit velocity up to 74 mph.  Behind the plate threw 2.28-2.35 seconds down to second base from loose ¾ arm action but stood up early in crouch before throwing to second.  Threw 65 mph from the crouch and ran 9.05 in the 60.

Pierson Gibis, C, Wauconda, 2017
5-foot-8, 145-pound left-handed hitting catcher impressed during a solid round of live batting practice.  Open, balanced setup with a short stride and smooth hand load produced average bat speed (69 mph exit velocity).  Short level swing produced line drives to all fields.  Ran an 8.01 60-yard dash, and threw 68 mph from the crouch reeling off pop times between 2.2-2.3 with accuracy.

Daniel Reed, C, Edwardsville, 2017
5-foot-11, 175-pound catcher with strong lower half impressed in live batting practice session producing 83 mph exit velocity.  Hits from a wide open setup with hands starting low and forward rocking back to load position.  Above average bat speed with uphill, opposite field approach creating back spin on several line drives to right center.  Defensively, threw 68 mph from the crouch producing pop times between 2.26-2.34.  Ran a 7.7 60.

Nathaniel Segura, C/3B, St. Patrick, 2016
5-foot-9, 200-pound C/3B with thick lower half impressed with power potential at the plate.  Hits from a balanced setup with short stride and smooth load.  Gets good extension in slightly uphill swing with long finish producing 85 mph exit velocity.  Behind the plate threw from 2.15-2.26 down to second, 71 mph from the crouch.  At third base showed average hands throwing 77 mph across the infield from high ¾ arm action.  Ran 7.66 seconds in the 60.

Christian Solinski, C, Barrington, 2014
5-foot-10, 175-pound muscularly built right-handed hitting catcher impressed at the plate with opposite field approach and bat speed producing 84 mph exit velocity.  Hits from a wide setup with hands held back and good rhythm rocking backwards pre-pitch.  Swing showed uphill plane and produced some loft to right center in live batting practice.  Defensively, threw 67 mph from the crouch rattling off pop times between 2.28-2.41.  Ran 7.73 in the 60.

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