DFW Underclass Trials: Catching Analysis

DALLAS, TX - Catching Analysis from the DFW Underclass Trials.

Top Performers

Nathaniel Price, C/OF, Mansfield Legacy HS, 2020
Price has an athletic, muscular frame at 5-foot-9, 165-pounds. The backstop posted some of the best pop times of any player in the sophomore class at 1.82-1.93 with an ultra-quick exchange, and threw bullets to second base with a velocity from the crouch of 78 mph. Moves with easy actions on blocks and bunts, and has soft hands receiving. In the outfield, Price plays through the ball with quick footwork and showcases a strong arm with a top velocity of 86 mph. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall, balanced setup before loading back smooth as he triggers his hands up and back. Quick bat with strong hands at contact, simple path with good barrel awareness through the zone, packs a punch for his size and has shown his ability to not only drive the ball to the gaps, but flashes good power for his size with an exit velocity of 93 mph off the tee.

Carter Pool, C/RHP, Keller HS, 2020
5-foot-11, 170-pound frame.  Pool swung the bat with intent to do damage from the right side, and flashed some bat speed through the zone; 81 mph exit velo off a tee.  Low leg kick, maintains balance throughout the swing, and hit line drives to the gaps in batting practice. He has loose hands and wrists that whip the barrel through the zone on a slightly uphill plane.  From behind the plate, Pool showed the ability to catch and throw at a high level, posting pop times between 2.00-2.14 and every throw was on the bag with carry; 76 mph. Clean and easy arm stroke, quick hand out front on release. His footwork was short and quick, allowing him to get rid of the ball quickly and also provided good direction and drive to second base. He was soft with his body, and showed agility and mobility while blocking.  Pool ran a 7.68 laser-timed 60.

Quaid Tschetter, C/OF, Byron Nelson HS, 2021
5-foot-9, 155-pound frame.  Tschetter showed the ability to catch and throw from behind the plate posting pop times in the 1.97-2.04 range with accuracy.  Each of his throws were low showing true carry and were directly in the tagging zone. Threw 75 mph from behind the plate with a quick release.  He ran an impressive 6.96 laser-timed 60 as a catcher, and those same quick twitch actions translated into his swing as well. At the plate, Tschetter has a simple compact swing with quick barrel actions.  He flashed power to both gaps driving balls with backspin and had an exit velo of 86 mph off a tee. This athletic catcher showed off impressive tools during this event, and those should continue to improve as he develops more strength in his body.

Beau Preston, C/OF, Prosper HS, 2020
6-foot-1, 175-pound athletic frame with strength. Preston drove balls with backspin in batting practice, and pounded an 88 mph exit velo off the tee.  He has quick twitch actions in his barrel, and quick hands/wrists that he uses to whip the barrel through the hitting zone. Defensively, Preston impressed with 2.00-2.10 pop times, making low throws on the right side of the bag.  He has quick feet and his legs are strong underneath him, and this creates good carry and arm strength on his throws (81 mph from behind the dish). Preston ran a 7.28 laser-timed 60.

Aidan Gebhart, C/3B, Frisco Heritage HS, 2020
5-foot-10, 175-pound frame with impressive strength. Gebhart pounded a 92 mph exit velo off the tee, and made loud contact throughout batting practice, leaving the yard to left field.  He has an athletic set up in the box from the right side, utilizes a leg kick with a smooth load to work behind the baseball with his body to create space for the barrel to work. He has explosive bat speed and some swagger in his actions at the plate. Started the day off running a 7.07 laser-timed 60. From behind the plate, he showed athletic actions and good arm strength (76 mph) with pop times of 2.08-2.25.

Thomas Wrehe, C/RHP, Southlake Carroll HS, 2020
6-foot-1, 190-pound frame with size and strength throughout his body.  Wrehe is a strong, projectable switch hitter that flashed solid pull side power from the left side (Left-88 mph exit velo off the tee). Starts in an athletic stance strong in his legs, and starts his hands over his back foot.  He has a smooth load back, and gets a lot of separation in his hands to create space for the barrel to work, uses a toe tap type stride for timing. He has natural lift, and showed the ability to drive balls with backspin over the right fielder’s head.  From the right side he recorded a 77 mph exit velo and has a much higher leg kick. Defensively, Wrehe had pop times that ranged from 2.04-2.15 with a short arm action (74 mph). Ran a 7.31 laser-timed 60.

Dylan Lee, C/SS, Hutto HS, 2020
Lee plays with a bounce in his step, real energy and quality body language. At 5-foot-9, 170-pounds, the rising junior has natural baseball actions behind the plate, and on the infield. At shortstop, Lee has quick footwork and soft hands as he plays through the ball with rhythm. Clean exchange into a loose arm stroke with accurate throws to first base and a top velocity of 71 mph. Behind the plate, Lee has soft hands as he receives the ball really well with a low, quiet setup. Quick exchange with inline footwork and good tempo on throws to second base. Posted pop times of 2.04-2.18 with a top velocity of 75 mph from the crouch. Athletic blocker that does a nice job of centering the ball in the midline of his body. The right-handed hitter has a balanced setup with quickish hands through the zone, middle of the field approach with line drive power and an exit velocity of 82 mph.

Best of the Rest (Alphabetical)

Alex Adauto, C/OF, The Colony HS, 2020
5-foot-10, 160-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a wide base before using a toe-tap to load back early as he triggers his hands back into a front arm bar. Strong contact on an uphill plane, drove the ball well to the pull side with a top exit velocity of 91 mph. In the outfield, Adauto plays through the ball with quick footwork and a clean exchange before throwing from a low-¾ arm slot with a top velocity of 77 mph to the plate. Behind the plate, Adauto has soft hands, quick exchange with smooth footwork, landing slightly open. Top velocity from the crouch of 77 mph with pop times ranging from 2.04-2.19.

Tanner Benson, C/1B, Lone Star HS, 2020
Five-foot-10, 165-pound frame with a strong lower half.  Benson hits from an athletic open stance at the plate, utilizes a leg kick for timing purposes and to shift weight back, maintains good balance throughout his swing and shows intent to do some damage at the plate.  He flashed a quick bat, and pullside power using an explosive lower half in his swing; 85 mph exit velo off a tee. Behind the plate, he handled live pitchers well, and showed mobility in blocking some tough pitches. His pop times ranged from 2.11-2.26 with a quick exchange and top velocity from the crouch of 71 mph.

Bryson Evans, SS/C, Comanche HS (OK), 2022
Five-foot-seven, 140-pound frame.  Handled the bat well in batting practice, finding the barrel consistently with a flat barrel action through the zone. Has good extension through the zone with the barrel, on plane, and has a low finish; Exit velo 80 mph. Had a 2.11-2.40 pop time, and showed accuracy with low throws on the bag at 74 mph. Stays low when throwing, and has good direction with his footwork to second base. In the infield he moved laterally well, approached the ball with fluid and quiet footwork. Throws were very accurate both behind the plate and from shortstop (75 mph from the infield). Evans ran a 7.38 laser-timed 60 yard dash.

Landry Fee, 3B/RHP, Argyle HS, 2022
6-foot, 180-pound projectable frame with wide shoulders.  Fee posted an 81 mph exit velo off the tee. At the plate he has a wide stance with a small controlled leg kick, good balance, and is strong at the point of contact.  Fee creates lift in his swing, and has extension through the baseball with a strong top hand. Fee had pop times ranging from 2.11-2.31 with clean transfers; 70 mph. Across the infield he flashed 80 mph arm strength from a low ¾ release point, and showed soft hands.  Fee ran a 7.51 laser-timed 60. One of the youngest participants in the event, and is a guy who will continue to develop his tools as he matures into his projectable frame. High offensive ceiling.

Jackson Hall, C/3B, Wakeland HS, 2021
6-foot, 145-pound frame. At the plate, he posted an 80 mph exit velocity. Hits out of a crouched stance, has long levers at the plate, and utilizes a leg kick. He has an uphill plane in his swing, and barreled up balls into the outfield with carry. Behind the plate, he posted pop times ranging from 2.18-2.32 with a clean transfer and a top velocity from the crouch of 63 mph. Whippy arm stroke that should prove to add strength as he continues to develop into his frame. From the infield, he was 67 mph across the diamond. Off the bump he has an over the top delivery with smooth rhythm and good direction. His fastball was 71 mph, threw his curveball at 61 mph, and located his changeup around the zone at 64-67 mph.

Brady Hernandez, C/3B, Lake Highlands HS, 2020
6-foot-1, 175-pound frame with a strong lower half.  Hernandez has a fluid swing from the right side with a level swing plane.  He has a simple quiet load back with his hands and body, and shows fluid rhythm throughout the swing.  Hernandez has strong hands, and is in a strong position with his body at the point of contact causing the ball to jump off his barrel when squared up.  He pounded an 82 mph exit velo off the tee. From behind the plate, his pop times ranged from 2.16-2.30 with his footwork working in good direction to second base.  He had 71 mph arm strength and flashed carry. Hernandez ran a 7.74 laser-timed 60.

Jacob Lacher, C/3B, Sachse HS, 2020
5-foot-10, 165-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall, slightly open stance before he triggers his hands back as he takes a short, controlled stride forward, landing balanced. Line drive approach through the middle of the field. Good barrel control with solid strength at contact. Behind the plate, Lacher throws from an over the top slot with a top velocity of 66 mph from the crouch and pop times ranging from 2.33-2.51.

Carter Mach, 3B/C, Aledo HS, 2020
6-foot, 215-pound frame with strength throughout. Mach showed off his power by hammering a 93 mph exit velo off the tee, and the power translated onto the field where he consistently found the barrel and drove rising line drives to the gaps. Mach has low hands and a flat barrel once his front foot comes to the ground, and he works on a very level plane through the zone with good extension in a compact swing with strength at the point of contact. Behind the plate, his strong legs helped him explode from out of his stance to make plays. His pop times ranged from 2.07-2.17, and he had 77 mph arm strength. In the infield, he made a nice play on the run and his top velo was 75 mph. Mach ran a 7.33 laser-timed 60. Off the mound, he commanded his fastball well from a high ¾ arm slot at 81-82 with some arm side run. His curveball was 70-71 with an 11/5 shape, and his changeup was 74-75 mph.

Weston Peninger, C/3B, Flower Mound HS, 2020
6-foot-3, 160-pound frame with wiry strength.  Peninger pounded an 88 mph exit velo off the tee, and this translated on the field where he pounded balls to both gaps in batting practice with fast bat speed.  He has a short stride after a smooth load back with his body, uses an explosive lower half to get extension through the hitting zone on a level plane, and then has a long pretty finish to his swing.  He has high intent at the plate, he wants to drive the baseball. Peninger handled live pitchers well, beating balls to the spot with his mitt and sticking them with strong wrists. He has short quick footwork while throwing, and his pop times ranged from 2.12-2.23 with 74 mph arm strength.  Peninger ran a 7.39 laser-timed 60.