Commitment Spotlight: 18' Michael Caron, SS/RHP, Cretin-Durham Hall
December 15, 2017
Today we spotlight the commitment of Cretin-Durham Hall senior Michael Caron. Caron, a RHP/SS, stands 5’10, 175lbs and sports impressive positional arm strength to pair with his short arm actions. When the above average glove gets paired with improved fluidity in his footwork the ceiling for Caron will continue to rise. At the plate Caron maintains leverage well on, and helps to square up, pitches all around the zone. A consistent forward lean keeps him in attack mode and balanced throughout the course of his swing. Footwork development will aid him on the mound where increased lower-half drive will see increases in velocity for all pitches which are delivered from a high arm slot. We want to wish the best to Michael and his CDH teammates this spring and congrats again to him on his commitment to Drury!
PBR: Why did you choose Drury?
I chose Drury because I knew that I wanted to be an architect major but also compete at the highest level that I could. I saw Drury had both architecture and a really good baseball program so I looked into the school more and it turned out to be the perfect fit.
PBR: What other schools were you considering?
I was considering some of the Minnesota schools like St Cloud State, UMD, Mankato, and also Washington University in St Louis, but Drury was always at the top of the list again because of the perfect baseball architecture combination.
PBR: When did the coaching staff first see you?
I was working with Justin Musil and Elite Sports Advising and I told Justin that I was interested in Drury, so he sent them an email with my video and started the communication process that way. I had a couple calls with the coaching staff and then I went down for a visit a couple weeks later and I did a workout with the coaches.
PBR: Was there anything about Drury that put it over the top?
I knew that I really liked the school before the visit but I think visiting the campus and seeing all the facilities and their fields was what made me realize that I really wanted to go there.
PBR: Who has had the biggest influence on your baseball career?
There are a tremendous amount of people that have helped me in the process. Obviously my parents were key, as well as working with Justin Musil was really helpful. But I think the two people that helped me get really amazing results in my baseball career are my fall coach Brian Bambenek and the guy I lift with Cody Beam, Brian has helped me for many years increase my skill level and Cody has helped me get a lot stronger and I think any baseball player that wants to play at the next level should train with Cody (tier one performance).
PBR: What are your plans for your freshman year at your new school?
My plans for freshman year are just to work as hard as I can on and off the field and contribute to the team as much as I can.
PBR: What advice would you give to those either going through or are about to start the recruiting process?
My advice would be to just work as hard as you can on baseball as well as working out and just trust the process.
PBR: Do you play any winter sports?
I play fall baseball but other than that no.
PBR: Tell us a bit about the Cretin-Durham Hall baseball team and the teams expectations for this spring?
I think our goal for the season is to get to the state tournament and play the best baseball that we can. We definitely have a really tight knit group of guys that work really well together. I also think our pitching this year is going to be really solid and we always have lock down defense and great hitters. I think we are going to be a tough team to beat and I'm excited to see what happens.
Scouting Report
6/20/17- 5-foot-10, 170-pound right-handed hitting shortstop. 7.16 runner. Spread stance, double tap trigger, long stride, some length to contact, uses whole field with mid/pull approach, 77 mph exit velocity. Above avg. actions in field, shows soft hands, good first step quickness, and has accuracy and carry on throws to bag, 87 mph arm across infield.
3/20/17- 5-foot-10, 165-pound right-handed hitting shortstop. #34 ranked player in MN 2018 class. 7.32 runner. Aggressive swinger, hard line drive and ground ball contact, works gap to gap, shows hitting ability- would benefit from simplifying swing mechanics, 82 mph exit velocity. Confident fielder, good body control, fields deep occasionally but hands work, shows actions laterally, well above avg. arm with carry, 92 mph arm strength across infield.
7/6/16- 5-foot-9, 150-pound right-handed hitting shortstop. 7.31 runner. High back elbow shoulder load, double tap stride and trigger, battles timing occasionally, mid/pull approach, solid contact, 78 mph exit velocity. Above avg. high school defender, good actions, clean projectable arm action, above avg. carry and accuracy to target, and plays with athletic actions in field. 78 mph arm strength.
5/3/16- 5-foot-9, 152-pound right-handed hitting shortstop. 7.59 runner. Solid frame for age. Active load, inconsistent timing, works middle of field, solid pop in bat, 79 mph exit velocity. Above avg. footwork in field, soft glove, good actions, clean projectable arm with accuracy, 74 mph arm strength. Follow in 2018 class.