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Class of 2015 Showcase: Catching Analysis

October 30, 2013

By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Director – Illinois/Wisconsin

This week we will start to break down the Class of 2015 Showcase from October 20. Today we start with the catchers. This group was led by Midwest Future Game participant Jesse Forestell. Forestell showed excellent catch and throw skills with an advanced approach at the plate. He has a high level of barrel awareness and keeps it through the zone well.

Scouting Reports By Griffin Phelps and Steve Nielsen

Top Catching Prospects

1. Jesse Forestell, C, Homewood-Flossmoor, 2015
Solid build, 6-foot, 180-pound left hand hitting catcher who projects well. Behind the dish he receives with ease from a low setup. Feet are quick on the exchange, producing 1.97-2.05 pop times. Throws were on the bag with carry at 74 mph. At the plate he hits from a balanced stance with heel lift stride. The swing is smooth with pop to all fields, high level barrel awareness. Bat stays in the zone for extended amount of time, creates aggressive barrel whip. Exit velocity was 85 mph off a tee. Ran a 7.29 60.

2. Scott Kapers, C, Mount Carmel, 2015
5-foot-11, 170-pound catcher, athletic build. Showed some of the more natural instincts behind the plate at the showcase. Has a solid, athletic setup behind the dish. Receives with a soft hand and strong wrist. Showed off crisp, clean catch and release skills with pop times ranging from 1.98-2.05. Arm played with accuracy and carry, at 77 mph. Offensively, he hits with an open stance and a short stride. Has a line drive swing, bat stays in the zone with length and extension. Showed solid bat speed with an exit velocity of 82 mph off a tee. Ran a 7.57 60.

3. Michael Piotrowski, C/OF, Prospect, 2015
Strong build, 5-foot-10, 190-pound catcher.  Registered one of the top exit velocities of the showcase, 93 mph exit velocity off a tee. Hits with a wide stance and crouched. Uses short stride and incorporates the lower half well. Swing is solid with a slight uphill path and extension. From behind the plate he showed an athletic setup and solid receiving skills. Pop times registered at 2.19-2.33, with accuracy and carry at 77 mph. From the outfield he throws it 85 mph with a long arm and high ¾ slot. Ran a 7.57 60.

4. Kyle Khoury, C/OF, St. Charles North, 2015
Lanky build 6-foot, 165-pound multi-positional player. Behind the plate he showed off athletic actions with quality hands and footwork. Posted pop times of 2.19-2.3. Throws were accurate with some carry, at 73 mph. From the outfield throws with a short arm from an over the top slot at 80 mph. Ran a 7.47 60. Hits from a balanced setup with a short stride. Swing is short with a level path. Exit velocity was 82 mph off a tee.

5. Jacob Perreira, C, Grant Park, 2015
5-foot-9, 185-pound strong body catcher. Offensively he has a balanced stance, smooth loading action, and short stride. Swing has a level path with good extension and plate coverage. Exit velocity was 87 mph off a tee. Behind the plate pop times ranged from 2.08-2.17. Arm played at 76 mph with some carry from the crouch. Ran a 7.7 60.

5. George Karkazis, C, Lake Forest, 2015
5-foot-10, 175-pound left-handed hitting catcher with a strong lower half. Behind the dish he has a sound setup, athletic and blocks well. Showed solid, repeatable catch and release skills with pop times in the 2.08-2.18 range with carry and accuracy at 77 mph. Ran a 7.22 60. Offensively he has a balanced stance with a short stride. Swing is smooth and gets good extension, pull side approach, had an exit velocity of 85 mph off a tee.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Griffin Boehm, C/RHP, Loyola, 2015
Advanced physical presence, 6-foot-4, 205-pound two-way player with a strong, athletic body. From behind the dish has a clean setup. Throws from a high ¾ slot with a short arm. Showed accuracy at 73 mph, occasional carry. Showed clean catch and release skills with pop times in the 2.15-2.25 range. At the plate has a tall stance and long stride. Has an uphill path with pull side approach. Showed solid pop and bat speed. Exit velocity was 84 mph off a tee. Ran a 7.7 60. On the mound used a long arm action from a high ¾ slot, showing some effort. Fastball is mostly straight, 77-78 mph. Curveball has 11/5 tilt, 59-60 mph. Forkball showed lateral action to his glove side, 60-63 mph.

Chase Gadau, C, St. Joseph Ogden, 2015
5-foot-11, 205-pound catcher. Arm works from a ¾ slot with a long arm action at 66 mph out of the crouch. Pop times were 2.25-2.37. At the plate he hits with an open stance, short stride. Has a long, slightly uphill path that gets extension and generates lift. Exit velocity was 86 mph off a tee. Ran a 7.66 60.

Jacob Guede, C, Metamora, 2015
5-foot-11, 175-pound catcher. Arm plays from a ¾ slot with accuracy and some carry at 72 mph. Pop times ranged from 2.11-2.22. Offensively has a balanced setup with a slight crouch. Lower half involved and has a pull side approach. Exit velocity off the tee was 79 mph. Ran a 7.63 60.

Matt Houchin, C, Seneca, 2015
5-foot-11, 170-pound catcher. Arm works from a high ¾ slot, with a long arm action. Throws showed accuracy and were 72 mph. Recorded pop times at 2.36-2.47. At the plate hits from a balanced setup with short stride. Showed a pull side approach with solid bat speed, exit velocity was 81 mph off a tee. Ran a 7.26 60.

Jerry Park, C, Glenbrook North, 2015
6-foot-2, 175-pound athletic catcher. Defensively he throws with a long firm arm. Throws showed accuracy and flashes of carry at 73 mph from the crouch. Received with solid hands, sound setup. At the plate hits with an open stance. Swing path shows length, slightly uphill, gets extension with some pop. Exit velocity was 85 mph off a tee. Ran a 7.26 60.

Julius Roman, C/3B, Holy Trinity, 2015
6-foot, 220-pound switch hitting catcher. From behind the dish he throws from a high ¾ slot with short arm action. Clean exchanges, with pop times in the 2.04-2.18 range at 74 mph. At third base throws with a long arm from high ¾ slot at 75 mph. Ran an 8.44 60. From both sides of the plate he has the same setup. Wide stance with a leg kick trigger. Creates whip and bat speed from the left side. Exit velocity from the left side was 82 mph off a tee, 77 mph from the left side.

Michael Schalasky, C/RHP, Brother Rice, 2015
6-foot, 175-pound athletic two way player. Behind the plate has a sound setup with athletic feet. Out of the crouch showed solid catch and release skills, pop times were 2.07-2.17 with clean exchanges. Throws were accurate, with carry, at 77 mph. From the outfield he throws with a long arm from over the top at 84 mph with quality carry. At the plate has an athletic swing. Gets solid bat speed and extension. Exit velocity was 82 mph off a tee. Ran a 7.68 60. On the mound he uses a long arm from an over the top slot. Fastball sat an easy 81-83 mph, with run and sink. Throws a curveball with 11/5 shape at 72-74 mph. Throws a straight changeup for strikes, sitting 75-76 mph.

Matthew Thomson, C, Springfield, 2015
5-foot-9, 175-pound catcher with pop times in the 2.05-2.19 range. Behind the dish he has a narrow setup. Throws with a short arm action from an over the top slot, showed accuracy at 67 mph. Offensively, hits with a balanced, open stance, leg kick trigger. Slightly uphill path, exit velocity was 74 mph off a tee. Ran a 7.75 60.

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