By Chris Fuller
PBR Kentucky

The Winter College Prospect Showcase took place on Sunday, January 24 at Legends Sports Academy in Louisville and afforded nearly 60 players from around the state the opportunity to showcase their abilities. The event included many players attending their first PBR event while others improved on their performances at previous events.

The complete results and top statistical performers were posted on the PBR website shortly after the event. CLICK HERE to view that information.

The following is a look at the group of catchers who attended the event. This is position analysis only. Those catchers who also pitched at the event will have their pitching performance featured in a subsequent article.

Hunter Evans, C, South Warren, 2018
Home-1^st: 4.63, Pop Time: 1.96-2.03, Position Velocity:  C-80, Exit Velocity: 86
6-foot-3, 170-pound right-handed hitter had his best showing to date significantly improving all measurables. Hits from a balanced stance with a mid-length to at times long stride, creates some lift at contact and shows power especially to the pull side, generates well above average bat speed, still can get to front side early on occasion but has made significant improvement there. Gets rid of the ball efficiently behind the plate with a quick transfer, big jump in arm strength and pop times, good upside for Evans who is starting to make big strides in his game.

Jackson Webb, C, Elizabethtown, 2019
Home-1^st: 4.64, Pop Time: 1.94-1.98, Position Velocity:  C-78, Exit Velocity: 86
5-foot-11,200-pound right-handed hitter is an impressive young prospect with high-level potential, hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, has an aggressive approach at the plate, uses strong lower half very well, a very compact swing produces impressive bat speed, has the potential to hit for power. Shows big arm strength for age with a quick transfer and release, footwork is quick and stays online, good athleticism to go along with strong frame, though struggled at times with accurate throws produced event best pop times. Webb is definitely one of the top Class of 2019 players we have seen to date.

Zack Lembach, C, Meade County, 2020
Home-1^st: 4.94, Pop Time: 2.08-2.19, Position Velocity:  C-71, Exit Velocity: 79
5-foot-6, 135-pound right-handed hitter had an impressive event for his age. Hits from a narrow and open stance, and squares up with a long stride, occasional timing issues with the long stride in getting to his front side early, solid swing path that produced line drive contact, good upside offensively with continued maturity. Showed good catch and throw ability for his age, above average arm strength with pop times that are well above average for age, mostly accurate throws to the bag. Lembach is a young prospect to keep a close eye on.

Seth Hojnacki, C, Sayre, 2017
Home-1^st: 4.97, Pop Time: 2.09-2.19, Position Velocity:  C-71, Exit Velocity: 83
6-foot, 180-pound right-handed hitter hits from an open stance, utilizes a leg kick and mid-length stride to get to square, wraps bat in load, produces occasional lift at contact with some gap to gap power, showed a better home to first time at summer event. Has a fairly quick transfer and release from behind the plate, footwork stays online to produce mostly accurate throws, uses strong frame to block well, pop times and arm strength very similar to what he has shown previously.

Peyton Fannin, C, Rowan County, 2017
Home-1^st: 4.84, Pop Time: 2.13-2.20, Position Velocity:  C-71, Exit Velocity: 80
5-foot-10, 165-pound right-handed hitter hits from a slightly open stance and gets square with a mid-length stride, fairly flat swing path with some hand quickness, line drive type hitter with a gap to gap approach, flashes occasional pop, showed improved exit velocity. Showed improvement in both arm strength and pop times, footwork and release have room to quicken up, produced mostly accurate throws to the bag.

Cameron McCabe, C, Ryle, 2018
Home-1^st: 5.20, Pop Time: 2.14-2.22, Position Velocity:  C-72, Exit Velocity: 75
5-foot-9, 177-pound right-handed hitter showed improved numbers over his first event in the fall, hits from a wide/balanced stance with minimal stride, has a fairly compact swing, shows some gap to gap power while maintaining good balance through finish, showed better bat speed in BP than exit velocity would indicate. Showed improved arm strength and pop times behind the plate, has a solid transfer and release, footwork stays online which allows for accurate throws but has room to get quicker, solid receiver of the baseball.

Michael Sharp, C, Tates Creek, 2017
Home-1^st: 4.62, Pop Time: 2.26-2.28, Position Velocity:  C-75, Exit Velocity: 75
5-foot-9, 155-pound right-handed hitter hits from an open stance and gets to square with a short stride, hands start high and drop slightly in load, line drive type hitter with average bat speed, showed the ability to use all fields. Defensively, shows some arm strength at 75 mph from the crouch, quicker footwork and a quicker release will result in an improvement in his 2.26-2.28 pop times, shows some athleticism behind the plate.

Nathan Bowman, C, Covington Catholic, 2019
Home-1^st: 5.13, Pop Time: 2.19-2.27, Position Velocity:  C-69, Exit Velocity: 75
5-foot-7, 170-pound right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, hands are set low and load back, fairly flat bat path and shows some quickness in hands, gap to gap line drive type hitter. Has a fairly quick glove to hand transfer and release, footwork stays online to produce consistently accurate throws to the bag, arm strength and pop times should continue to see improvement, solid young fundamental catcher.

Craig Thompson, C, Holy Cross (Louisville), 2019
Home-1^st: 5.01, Pop Time: 2.24-2.28, Position Velocity:  C-71, Exit Velocity: 74
5-foot-11, 150-pound right-handed hitter is a young prospect with solid potential, hits from a balanced stance with minimal stride, rotational type hitter, maintains excellent balance through finish, shows some bat speed for age, line drive type hitter with a mid-field approach, will benefit from some work in the weight room. Release can get a little long at times but showed some arm strength for age, footwork stays mostly online and has room to get quicker, showed solid and accurate throws to the bag, pop times should continue to see improvement moving forward.

Dylan Sharp, C, Lexington Catholic, 2020
Home-1^st: 5.20, Pop Time: 2.45-2.58, Position Velocity:  C-65, Exit Velocity: 73
5-foot-8, 155-pound, young prospect participating in his first PBR event, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced and slightly crouched stance, takes a shot stride, flat bat path through the zone allows for consistent line drive contact, shows average bat speed for age. Has a good setup behind the plate, footwork is inconsistent and should improve and get quicker with maturity, transfer is fairly quick with a long release, arm strength and pop times will improve moving forward.