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CA State Games Scouting Reports: Catchers

August 2, 2021
PBR CA Scouting Staff

New Episode LIVE now! - At The Yard Podcast

LATHROP, CALIF. - The Third Annual California State Games took place at beautiful Islanders Field in Lathrop where PBR California hosted over 70 of the top under and upperclassmen from around the state. While some were committed prospects, the bulk of the participants were uncommitted prospects hand picked for this exclusive event. 

Click here to view Les Lukach 10 highlighted uncommitted players from the California State Games.

The three-day event featured a workout on Friday followed by games on Saturday and Sunday. With just about every facet of the game captured by the scouting staff, it becomes necessary to put pen to paper and write-up each respective player in a scouting report. As always we lead off the four part scouting report series with those who wear the tools of ignorance. 

Click here for full sortable stats from the workout portion of the event including Trackman and Blast Motion data. 

Catchers 

Aidan Camberg, California (CA), 2023
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 6-1, 170-pounds. Slender athletic build. Room to add throughout the frame. Projectable.
Hit: LHH. Relaxed stance. Leans into his backside and glides toward the pitcher. Smooth stroke that is level and extended through at finish. Standout trackman data includes 50% LDs and 57.1% hard-hit rate. At times can get onto his front side with some drift which can make him susceptible to offspeed. In Game 2 went with an outside FB and drove it to left for an LD single. 
Power: 97 max exit velocity. Showed some wall ball power in his BP hitting several balls 320+ feet. 71mph bat speed max is above average for his age and shows a decent power floor.
Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. 2/5 accurate throwdowns during the defensive workout. Quicker short arm action. Above-average arm strength for age. Lower throws that were short when off-target.
Defense: 2.01-2.12 pop times. During throwdowns should real quick feet and exchanges. Gains good ground towards 2nd. Decent receiving/blocking skills during game action.
Run: 7.42 runner in the 60.

Zander Ditona, Castro Valley (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 5-9, 155-pounds. Medium build. Athleticism throughout. Some present strength in the lower half.
Hit: RHH. Relaxed with bat rested at his shoulder in stance and is slightly open. Mild leg kick trigger as hands rock back. Longer swing as it enters the zone on a more level path. Consistent contact point out in front for a more pull side approach. Showed during game action as he barreled up on an 87 mph FB and drove it down the LF line for a double.
Power: 88 max exit velocity
Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. INF - 79 mph. INF: Shorter quick arm action. Average arm strength for level. 4/5 accurate. Quicker in getting to release. C: 4/5 accurate throwdowns. Pulls into scalp. Shorter arm action. Average arm strength for level.
Defense: 2.04-2.16 pop times. Showed solid actions in the INF. Lighter feet that play through the ball with rythm. Stayed lower to ball. C: One of the better defensive catchers at the event. Pitch framing and blocking skills were present. Mixed up crouches. Stayed below the ball and worked up.
Run: 7.44 runner in the 60.

Gavin Ducker, Palma (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 6-2, 205-pounds. Sturdy build with present strength and size, some speed for a catcher, room for more development.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open upright stance, high hands, step and plant to hitting position, two-hand finish. Hammered a single in game to the pull side showing ability to get on top of the ball and infront. Blast Motion score 37/52/76 shows above-average rotation score illuminating his in game pull side abiltiy. Low plane show inconsistent swing-to-swing. High rotation score projects well for power and ability to adjust to velocity gains.
Power: 98 max exit velocity
Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. Average high school arm, short swing to ear, likes to throw from knees, quick in the front.
Defense: 2.02-2.16 pop times. Worked hard behind the dish, hustling throughout the weekend, inconsistent blocking - popping up when needing to stay down. Called a good game behind the plate.
Run: 7.43 runner in the 60.

Ricky Maya, Christian Brothers  (CA), 2024
Positional Profile: C
Body: 6-1, 170-pounds. Projectable catchers build, limited speed, showed hustle throughout the weekend.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open stance in the box, light leg lift load to hitting position, leans back some when taking swings, one-hand finish. Blast Motion scores 49/53/53. Quality across the board with no glaring weakness but room for improvement with current swing.
Power: 86 max exit velocity
Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. Worked hard to make consistent throws to the bag, limited velocity, showed well in game between-inning throws.
Defense: 2.11-2.19 pop times. Works hard behind the dish, hustling laterally and down the line in the summer heat. Showed better in the game portion than the showcase portion. Head down blocking skills, overall actions you like to see from a high school catcher.
Run: 8.32 runner in the 60.

Caovinh Nguyen, Mission San Jose (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-8, 180-pounds. Athletic frame, agile behind the dish, slightly undersized, room for strength gains.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open and upright stance, leg lift load to hitting position, two-hand finish. Late entry (no batting practice) but saw live in-game at-bats. Saw good plate coverage, willingness to take strikes outside of his hitting plan, ability to foul off pitches. Struck out in a 9 pitch at-bat that some would call a quality AB and flew out to deep center in a 7 pitch at-bat.
Power: 82 max exit velocity
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Quick-release, ball to ear quickly, accurate throws, room for more acceleration in the front.
Defense: 2.13-2.19 pop times. Agile behind the plate, sits low, works low to high, pitchers enjoyed throwing to him. Threw out a would-be base stealer in the live game portion with a 2.10 pop time.
Run: 7.17 runner in the 60.

Ryan Pearson, Pioneer (CA), 2023
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 5-11, 175-pounds. Proportional build, present lower half strength, showed athleticism on the base paths.
Hit: RHH. Wide stance, athletic knee bend, foot down early, one-hand finish.  Two of three quality at-bats logged as quality with 9 pitch flyout and two-strike hit to left-field. Blast Motion scores show overall improvement needed but with consistency present in swing.
Power: 84 max exit velocity
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. Short arm swing, ball to ear quickly, catchers throwing mechanics translates well to third, utility potential.
Defense: 2.11-2.17 pop times. Third base/catching ability shown, plays that needed to be made were made. Cheated on throw downs, received well, stays low, one leg out at times. `
Run: 7.97 runner in the 60.

Nick Shaffer, Del Oro (CA), 2023
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-11, 175-pounds. Compact upper body but leaner throughout. Longer arms.
Hit: RHH. Is slightly open with wider set feet and hands pushed away from his body in stance. Slower gather into backside as he uses a smaller leg lift trigger. Longer wrappy swing that works on a level stroke (58.3% LD percentage). Consistent contact point out in front. More pull side approach but at times flashed some RC gap feel. 
Power: 88 max exit velocity. Flashed some gap to gap power in BP. Blast metrics show potential for growth in bat speed and rotational acceleration which should help out power.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. Loose arm action. Would open up front side early at times which would have throwdowns sail on him. 3/5 accurate throwdowns during the workout.
Defense: 2.07-2.12 pop times. Athletic crouch. During throwdowns would hop out of his crouch. Quick feet. In game action, he would set up in many different crouches. Would stay below the ball and work up helping him steal low strikes.
Run: 7.29 runner in the 60.

J-P Smith II, Granite Bay (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/C
Body: 6-1, 230-pounds. Larger sturdy build. Filled out frame. Present strength in both the lower and upper half.
Hit: RHH. Loose and relaxed set up. Starts to load early as he gathers the front foot into his backside and glides forward. Balanced at footstrike and finish. Back hip drives through. More uphill bat path. Consistent barreled balls (61.5% hard hit rate). Above-average bat speed of 70 mph average throughout BP round.  3 hits on the weekend. HR on a hanging breaking ball that he caught on in front and drove over the LF fence. Then went with 2 outside FBs and drove them to right for 2 LD singles. 
Power: 96 max exit velocity
Arm: RH. C - 79 mph. INF - 85 mph. INF: 3/5 accurate from 3B. Quick short arm action. Decent arm strength in the infield. Slower in getting to release. C: Real quick arm action that gets out with good arm strength. 3/6 accurate throwdowns.
Defense: 1.95-2.09 pop times. At 3B showed decent glove skills. Let the ball come to him with minimal footwork.  Funnels right into throwing hand. C: Decent recieivng and blocking skills. Standout game calling behind the dish.
Run: 7.77 runner in the 60. 


UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
2021 PBR Future Games (California Invite) CA 07/28 LakePoint Sports
PBR Junior Future Games NATIONAL 07/28 LakePoint Sports
PBR West Coast Games (California Invite) CA 08/13 UNLV & College of Southern Nevada
Northern California Academic Games CA 10/16 Menlo College


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