By Chris Fuller
PBR Kentucky

The annual Preseason All-State Showcase at Champions Baseball Academy in Nicholasville included more than 120 players from all parts of the state looking to showcase their abilities prior to the high school season. In what is the premier preseason scouting event in the state, there were many standout performances which we continue to feature.

Complete stats for all players were posted a few days following the event.

CLICK HERE to view the stats from the event.

The following is a look at the Class of 2018-2019 Catchers who participated in the event. This is position player analysis only. Those players who also pitched at the event will have that performance featured in a subsequent article.

Tyler Grigalis, C, Lexington Catholic, 2018
60 Time: 7.13, Pop Time: 2.00-2.08, Position Velocity:  C-78, Exit Velocity: 90
5-foot-11, 170-pound LHH combines high-level offensive and defensive ability. Hits from an open stance and squares up with a short stride, gets the barrel in the zone with a compact swing that produces hard contact to all fields, shows flashes of power, runs well for the catcher position. Continues to show increase in arm strength, good athleticism behind the plate with active feet, have seen slightly better pop times from him previously. Grigalis is a top prospect in the 2018 class.

Tyler Wood, C, Central Hardin, 2019
60 Time: 7.57, Pop Time: 1.95-2.00, Position Velocity:  C-75, Exit Velocity: 93
6-foot-1, 195-pound RHH with advanced physical frame for age, hits from an open stance and uses a big leg kick trigger and aggressive stride, produces big bat speed for age and shows power to all fields with an aggressive approach, registered best exit velocity to date. Gets rid of the ball efficiently with a quick transfer and release, gains ground on throws with quick footwork, solid arm strength and accurate throws produced good pop times. Wood has established himself as a top Class of 2019 prospect.

Jackson Webb, C, Elizabethtown, 2019
60 Time: 7.34, Pop Time: 1.98-2.04, Position Velocity:  C-75, Exit Velocity: 90
5-foot-11, 200-pound RHH with physical frame, hits from a balanced stance, short stride, stays quiet and relaxed and attacks the baseball with a compact swing that produces very good bat speed through the zone, shows power to all fields. Has a very quick transfer and release, have seen slightly better arm strength and pop times at previous event, athletic feet, mostly accurate throws to the bag. Webb is a high-level Class of 2019 prospect.

Hunter Evans, C, South Warren, 2018
60 Time: 7.23, Pop Time: 1.97-2.07, Position Velocity:  C-78, Exit Velocity: 83
6-foot-3, 175-pound RHH hits from a balanced stance with a long stride that can create occasional timing issues, ball really jumps off the barrel when everything is in sync, shows projectable power with above average bat speed, ran a significantly improved 60 time. Has a fairly quick transfer and release from behind the plate, good arm strength with solid footwork, mostly accurate throws to the bag, athletic catcher with good defensive ability.

James Dodd, C, McCracken County, 2018
60 Time: 7.13, Pop Time: 2.04-2.13, Position Velocity:  C-77, Exit Velocity: 86
6-foot3, 175-pound RHH with projectable frame, hits from a balanced stance, short stride, aggressive approach and looks to drive the baseball, uses lower half well and shows some quickness in hands to generate good at speed, could see the development of consistent power as he fills out his frame, runs well. Showed similar pop times and arm strength as he did at fall event, arm is loose and athletic, good athlete behind the plate. Dodd has the potential to be a high-level Class of 2018 prospect.

Kyle Harbison, C, Scott County, 2019
60 Time: 7.19, Pop Time: 1.97-2.03, Position Velocity:  C-74, Exit Velocity: 83
5-foot-11, 161-pound RHH is an impressive young prospect. Hits from an open stance and gets square with a short stride, uses lower half well and shows consistently quick hands, well above average bat speed for age with a compact swing, will likely develop consistent power, runs well. He a very quick transfer with a short/quick release, quick feet that stay online, produced accurate throws to the bag with above average arm strength and pop times. Harbison is one to keep a close eye on from the 2019 class.

TJ Keck, C, Henry Clay, 2018
60 Time: 7.13, Pop Time: 2.13-2.25, Position Velocity:  C-75, Exit Velocity: 89
6-foot, 180-pound RHH with strong frame, hits from an open and wide stance and squares up with a short stride, produces occasional lift at contact, showed good bat speed during exit velocity testing, has power potential. Showed improved arm strength from previous event but pop times were slightly higher due to slower release and less accurate throws, receives the ball well, does a good job keeping footwork online, runs well for the catcher position. Keck is a 2018 prospect to keep an eye on.

Andrew Arnold, C, Trinity, 2018
60 Time: 7.38, Pop Time: 2.18-2.28, Position Velocity:  C-73, Exit Velocity: 85
6-foot-2, 205-pound RHH with strong, physically advanced frame, hits from an open stance and uses a big leg kick trigger and mid-length stride, shows good strength in swing, shows occasional flashes of power with a gap to gap approach. Solid receiver with footwork that stays online, over the top release with average arm strength produced mostly accurate throws to the bag, pop times have potential to improve as footwork gets quicker. Solid 2018 prospect with potential to be a consistent power threat at the plate.

Hunter Armstrong, C, Mercer County, 2018
60 Time: 7.60, Pop Time: 2.14-2.25, Position Velocity:  C-71, Exit Velocity: 84
5-foot-9, 150-pound RHH hits from a balanced/athletic stance, short stride, short swing path with some extension through contact, solid bat speed for age, took a solid round of BP with several hard line drives, gap to gap approach. Has room to improve quickness of release behind the plate, over the top arm action with average arm strength, active feet, showed some accurate throws to the bag, should see improvement in pop times as arm strength improves and release gets quicker.

Clay Trusty, C, Beechwood, 2019
60 Time: 7.71, Pop Time: 2.01-2.12, Position Velocity:  C-72, Exit Velocity: 80
5-foot-9, 165-pound RHH hits form a balanced stance, hands start close to body and load back as he strides, has a flat bat path through the zone and showed improved bat speed from previous event, line drive type hitter who likes to work the middle of the field, ran an improved 60 time. Has a quick transfer and release, loose/athletic arm should continue to develop additional arm strength, solid pop times for age, fundamentally sound behind the plate.

Dwight Parsons, C/RHP, Fairdale, 2018
60 Time: 8.15, Pop Time: 2.33-2.38, Position Velocity:  C-73, Exit Velocity: 82
6-foot, 185-pound RHH hits from a balanced stance, long stride, gets to front side early at times, shows some strength in swing, flat bat path through the zone, line drive middle of the field approach. Can get more fluid and quicker with footwork, release has room to be quicker, shows some arm strength with some accurate throws, pop times will improve as footwork and release does.

Garren Parker, C, Bishop Brossart, 2018
60 Time: 7.80, Pop Time: 2.29-2.40, Position Velocity:  C-68, Exit Velocity: 80
5-foot-10, 165-pound RHH hits from a balanced stance, minimal stride, hands start high and drop to trigger swing, strong use of lower half, occasional length in swing, shows some flashes of hand quickness. Has room to improve quickness of footwork and release, does a good job keeping feet online, shows developing arm strength with varying accuracy.

Ethan Jones, C, Southwestern, 2019
60 Time: 8.04, Pop Time: 2.20-2.30, Position Velocity:  C-68, Exit Velocity: 82
6-foot, 170-pound RHH hits from an open stance with a mid-length stride that doesn’t always get him square, level swing path and shows above average bat speed for age, works the middle of the field well with a line drive approach. Has room to improve quickness and direction of footwork and quickness of release, arm strength is developing, pop times will improve with continued development.

Justin Bowles, C, Southern, 2019
60 Time: 7.73, Pop Time: 2.30-2.50, Position Velocity:  C-66, Exit Velocity: 73
5-foot-11, 145-pound RHH hits from a balanced stance, short stride, maintains excellent balance throughout swing, path gets long at times but shows flashes of hand quickness, line drive type hitter, present bat speed is average, young player with good upside as he gets physically stronger. Shows some quickness in footwork that stays mostly online, developing arm strength, should continue to see improvement in pop times as arm strength improves.