2.16 KC Preseason All-State: Catching Analysis
March 10, 2015
By Sean McCann
Prep Baseball Report Kansas
The 2015 Prep Baseball Report Preseason All-State Showcase took place Monday, February 16th at 68’s Inside Sports in Overland Park, KS. Several of the top class of 2016 prospects from Kansas an Missouri gathered to display the fruits of their hard winter labor in front of the PBR scouting staff and area college coaches.
Click here to view the Instant Analysis article reviewing the top performers from the event in the various stat areas.
Over the next week we will be releasing position-by-position analysis articles with scouting reports on each player and identifying the top prospects. We will also be updating the Kansas and Missouri class of 2016 player rankings over the next few weeks.
Today we take a look at the catchers that participated in the event. The talent level was high and included many of the top class of 2016 catching prospects from Kansas and Missouri.
Top catching prospects
1. Dalton Dinkel, C, Goddard Eisenhower HS, KS (2016)
Dinkel is a 6-foot, 170-pound class of 2016 catcher. Attends Eisenhower HS in Goddard, KS. Right-hand hitter with balanced set-up. Smooth hand load. Short, quiet stride. Hands work, fast bat, finishes with extension. Made hard and flat middle of the field to slight pull contact during batting practice, 89 mph exit velocity. Ran a 4.34 home-to-first. During defensive work showed quick, athletic footwork and exchanges. Loose three-quarters arm action, throws had carry, pop time 1.82, 76 mph throwing velocity, made one accurate throw after another. Top throwing catcher at the event, among a very talented group. Athletic catcher that has improved in all areas over the last year.
2. Sean Cooley, C, Staley HS, MO (2016)
Cooley is a left-hand hitting catcher that attends Staley HS in Kansas City, MO. Class of 2016, 5-foot-10, 185-pound frame. Open set-up at the plate, leg kick, minimal hand load, short path to the ball, loose hands, backside fires through with hands, extension through the baseball, maintains balance. Very aggressive swing with bat speed and some lift. Gap-to-gap approach. Exit velocity 89 mph, ran a 4.33 home-to-first. Behind the plate showed simple footwork, clean exchanges. Short, high three-quarters arm action, arm works, pop time 2.01, 77 mph throwing velocity. Impressive class of 2016 left-hand hitting catching prospect that swings the bat with authority.
3. Jake Karst, C/3B, Maize HS, KS (2016)
Karst is a strong-framed 6-foot, 185-pound catcher that attends Maize HS in Central Kansas. Class of 2016. Right-hand hitter, balanced set-up at the plate, rolls weight back, minimal hand load. Short, quiet stride. Short, level path out front, bat speed. Maintains balance throughout, finishes with extension through the ball. Simple. Hard gap-to-gap line drives in batting practice round. Recorded a 93 mph exit velocity, ran a 4.39 home-to-first. Quick, athletic footwork behind the plate, clean exchanges, top pop time of 1.82. Throwing velocity high of 79 mph, best mark among catchers, accurate throws. Talented class of 2016 catching prospect that made a statement at this event with his across the board improvement and will move up the state player rankings in the next update accordingly.
4. Jack Duke, C/1B, Blue Valley Northwest HS, KS (2016)
Duke is a strong, athletic 6-foot-3, 225-pound right-hand hitting catcher that attends Blue Valley Northwest HS in Overland Park, KS. Class of 2016. Right-hand hitter. Balanced set-up, minimal hand load, leg kick, loose hands, bat speed, maintains balance. Worked middle of the field to slight pull, ball jumped off bat when he squared it up. Ran a 4.28 home-to-first, strong runner. Throwing to second showed quick feet. Short, three-quarter snap throw. Throws had carry, top pop time 2.01, 78 mph throwing velocity, accurate arm. Physically impressive class of 2016 catching prospect and athlete.
5. Caleb Lauvetz, C/1B, Rockhurst HS, MO (2016)
Lauvetz is a physical, athletic 6-foot-2, 210-pound catcher from Rockhurst HS in Kansas City, MO. Class of 2016. Right-hand hitter, tall set-up, narrow stance, smooth load, reverse toe tap pre-stride, strides inline. Short bat path, some bat speed. Line drive middle to slight pull approach. Extension through the baseball, maintains balance throughout. Recorded an 84 mph exit velocity, ran a 4.49 home-to-first. Quick footwork behind the plate, short high three-quarters arm action, 1.89 top pop time, 78 mph throwing velocity, throws had carry, mostly accurate throws.
Best of the rest (listed alphabetically)
Brett Bonar, C/3B, Rose Hill HS, KS (2016)
Bonar is a left-hand hitting catcher that attends Rose Hill HS in Rose Hill, KS. Class of 2016, 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. Tall set-up at the plate, narrow open stance. Early smooth load and simple, inline stride. Short, simple swing. Line drive approach, 76 mph exit velocity. Ran a 4.59 home-to-first. Behind the plate showed simple, quick footwork, easy high three-quarters throwing motion, put a 1.95 on the bag, throwing velocity 76 mph.
Aaron Easley, C, Liberty HS, MO (2016)
Easley is a physical 6-foot-1, 205-pound class of 2016 right-hand hitting catcher. Attends Liberty HS in Liberty, MO. At the plate starts with a wide base, short stride, simple load, keeps hands inside ball, strong hands, maintains balance. Worked middle of the field, showed some power. Exit velocity clocked at 80. Behind the plate has simple footwork, short over-the-top arm action, pop times 2.09-2.15, 76 mph throwing velocity.
Kobe Gelles, C/OF, Blue Valley HS, KS (2016)
Gelles is an athletic 5-foot-11, 190-pound right-hand hitting catcher. Class of 2016, Attends Blue Valley HS in Stilwell, KS. Right-hand hitter, balanced set-up. Minimal stride and load. Gets foot down early, short path to the ball, backside fires through with hands. Finishes balanced and with extension. Repeats swing well. Flattened the ball out middle-oppo, has some juice. Recorded an 89 mph exit velocity, ran a 4.56 home-to-first. Quick feet behind the plate, good direction, short high-three-quarters arm action, 2.02 pop time, 72 mph throwing velocity.
Carson Green, C, Olathe South HS, KS (2016)
Green is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound right-hand hitting catcher. Attends Olathe South HS, class of 2016. Open set-up at the plate, minimal hand load, short inline stride, some lift to swing, hard contact, slight pull approach. Exit velocity 83 mph, ran a 4.39 home-to-first. Behind the plate showed quick feet, clean exchanges. Short, high three-quarters arm action, throws had carry, top pop time of 1.97, throwing velocity 77 mph. Strong, accurate arm. Physical class of 2016 prospect with some pop at the plate that can throw.
Tanner Holen, C/3B, Manhattan HS, KS (2016)
Holen is a thin, athletic-framed 5-foot-10, 155-pound right-hand hitting catcher. Attends Manhattan HS in Manhattan, KS. Class of 2016. At the plate athletic set-up, reverse toe tap, gets stride foot down early, rhythm in load, short path. Short, compact swing with some lift, maintains balance throughout. Barreled ball up during batting practice round. Recorded an 84 mph exit velocity, ran a 4.71 home-to-first. Quick footwork behind the plate, clean exchanges, quick high three-quarters arm action, top throw to second clocked at 1.99, throwing velocity 76 mph, mostly accurate throws. Solid class of 2016 catching prospect with plenty of room to fill out physically.
Jared Maneth, C, Great Bend HS, KS (2016)
Maneth is a 6-foot, 210-pound catcher from Great Bend HS in Great Bend, KS. Class of 2016. Right-hand hitter, balanced set-up, reverse toe tap, light stride, smooth load, upper half dominant swing, keeps hands inside ball, level path out front. Middle-oppo approach. Recorded a 79 mph exit velocity, ran a 4.76 home-to-first. Behind the plate showed simple footwork, clean exchanges. Short high three-quarters arm action, top pop time of 2.02, throwing velocity 72 mph.
Jack Mills, C, Gardner Edgerton HS, KS (2016)
Mills is an athletic-framed 6-foot-1, 195-pound right-hand hitting catcher in the class of 2016. Attends Gardner-Edgerton HS in Gardner, KS. Balanced set-up set-up at the plate, strides in place, smooth load, short path to the ball, hands work, simple swing, line drive approach, maintains balance throughout. Exit velocity 85 mph, ran a 4.66 home-to-first. Throwing to second base showed quick, simple footwork. Short, easy high three-quarters throwing motion, 2.03 pop time, 72 mph throwing velocity, mostly accurate throws.
Kurt Paldino, C/OF, Olathe East HS, KS (2016)
Paldino is a left-hand hitting catcher in the class of 2016. Attends Olathe East HS in Olathe, KS. 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. At the plate has a balanced set-up, sets hands early, no stride, short path to the ball with some lift, hands work, bat speed, upper half dominant, maintains balance throughout, barreled ball up during batting practice. Recorded an 86 mph exit velocity, ran a 4.19 home-to-first. Throwing to second base showed athletic footwork, gained ground with good direction. Short, over-the-top throwing motion, top pop time of 2.18, throwing velocity 73 mph, mostly accurate throws. Across the board improvement in the last year.
Spencer Prichard, C Blue Springs South HS, MO (2016)
Prichard is 6-foot-1, 200-pound right-hand hitting catcher. Attends Blue Springs South HS in Blue Springs, MO. Class of 2016. Open set-up at the plate. Easy hand load, strides inline, short path, slightly uphill, hard middle-oppo contact in batting practice. Recorded an 84 mph exit velocity, ran a 4.76 home-to-first. Behind the plate throwing to second base showed quick feet, quick release, short snap over-the-top throwing motion, 1.96 top pop time, 71 throwing velocity, accurate arm.
Brik Thompson, C/1B, Minneapolis HS, KS (2016)
Thompson is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound catcher that attends Minneapolis HS in Minneapolis, KS. Class of 2016. Right-hand hitter with a wide base, strides in place, level path, middle to slight pull approach. Recorded a 79 mph exit velocity, ran a 4.57 home-to-first. Throwing to second base made clean exchanges, easy high three-quarters throwing motion, top pop time of 2.19, throwing velocity 72 mph.