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Kansas Preseason All State: Catchers Analysis

March 5, 2017

Shon Plack
Kansas Scouting Director

Prep Baseball Report Kansas held the Kansas Preseason All-State Showcase on February 12 at Hoover Field in Wichita.  Nearly 50 players in the 2018 class from around the region attended. 

Player's profiles have been updated with profile pictures, videos and stats from the event. In the coming days, we will break down the event position-by-postion, starting with catchers today.  Although some catchers participated in other positions, this is just a break down of the catching performance.  Players are listed in alphabetical order.

Coaches will have new profiles to add their dashboard on ScoutPlus and players will be able to update information on their profile with ProspectPlus.

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Catchers

Brett Baker, C, Blue Springs South (MO), 2018
Baker is a 5-foot-11 172-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2018 class.  He ran a 7.99 laser timed 60 and a 5.19 home to first.  He has a 79 mph exit velo. At the plate, Baker had middle to pull side contact during hitting evals, open stance with controlled load into back side, minimal movement in hands, short stride, level path through the zone.  Behind the plate, pop times between 2.10 and 2.37, one of the top tpop times of the event, 70 mph positional velo, sits low to give target, feel work with hands to give fluid transfer, received ball well in bullpens. 

Ben Buchinger, C, Liberty (MO), 2018
Buchinger is a 6-foot 197-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2018 class.  He ran a 8.22 laser timed 60 and a 4.89 60.  He has a 79 mph exit velo. At the plate, slightly open, short in line stride, hands worked inside ball, gap-to-gap approach, had more solid contact as he gained timing during round of batting practice.  Behind the plate, pop time between 2.12 and 2.23 seconds, 72 mph positional velo, one of the top velos for the event, catches and throws with some effort, sit low in a thin set up, over the top release with some momentum through the catch, somewhat accurate around the bag.

Conner Hughes, C, Olathe South (KS), 2018
Hughes is a6-foot-1 185-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2018 class.  He ran a 7.71 laser timed 60 and a 4.88 home to first.  He has an 88 mph exit velo. At the plate, does not get cheated and takes an aggressive swing, balanced set up with high hands, controlled load into back side, level and quick bat speed, middle to pull side contact, flashed power.  Behind the plate, pop times between 2.18 and 2.33-seconds, 67 mph positional velo, sets up with thin base, high three quarters release, somewhat accurate to first base. 

Clayton Leathers, C, Blue Valley Northwest (KS), 2018
Leathers is a 5-foot-10 180-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2018 class.  He ran a 7.65 laser timed 60 and a 4.57 home to first.  He has an 84 mph exit velo. At the plate, Leathers uses both gaps, consistent solid contact with little wasted movement in load, balanced set up with rocking motion to load, showed some feel for the barrel.  Behind the plate, pop times between 2.09 and 2.33-seconds, 72 mph positional velo, pop times and velo among the best for the event,  over the top release, hands and feet in sync, fluid and clean exchange, mostly accurate throws, moves well to block.

Caleb Ostronic, C, Eudora (KS), 2018
Ostronic is a 6-foot-1 185-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2018 class.  He ran an 8.33 laser timed 60 and a 5.10 home to first.  He has an 83 mph exit velo. At the plate, balanced set up with slight rhythm, smooth load, mostly middle of the field contact, level path, showed some power to middle of the field.  Behind the plate, pop times between 2.19 and 2.25-seconds, 70 mph positional velo, over the top release, durable build, gives low target, fluid transfer with fluid footwork, accurate throws.

Lawson Schultz, C, Buhler (KS), 2018
Schultz is a 6-foot 230-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2018 class.  He ran a 7.93 later timed 60 and a 4.75 home to first.  He has a 90 mph exit velo and has a strong build. At the plate, simple and repeatable swing mechanics, aggressive with bat speed and loose hands, mostly middle to pull contact during hitting evals, showed some feel for the barrel.  Behind the plate, 2.14 to 2.19 pop times, 69 mph positional velo, high three quarters release, wide base in stance, quick exchange with soft hands, somewhat accurate throws.

Cooper Turpin, C, Salina Sacred Heart (KS), 2018
Turpin is a 6.-foot-1 152 pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2018 class.  He ran a 7.83 laser timed 60 and a 4.57 home to first.  He has a 79 mph exit velo with a lean and projectable frame.  At the plate, balanced set up, loads into back leg with little wasted movement in hands, early in line stride, gap-to-gap approach, mostly consistent contact to the middle of the cage.  Behind the plate, pop times between 1.97 and 2.09-seconds, 73 mph positional velo, both pop times and velo among top for event, low exchange with three quarters release, quick feet, momentum through the catch, accurate thrower, work ethic showed during bullpens, blocks well and receives well, has flexibility to give low target.

Treven Veltman, C, Wichita West (KS), 2018
Veltman is a 6-foot 170-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2018 class.  He ran a 7.53 laser timed 60 and a 4.72 home to first.  He has an 84 mph exit velo.  At the plate, tall and open stance, short stride, body stays balanced. Behind the plate, pop times between 1.93 and 2.20, 77 mph positional velo, showed flexibility with low target, high three quarters release, quick catch and throw with quick foot work, aggressive, mostly accurate throws. 

Josh Zellak, C, Liberty (MO), 2018
Zellak is a 5-foot-11 195-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2018 class.  He ran a 7.65 laser timed 60 and a 4.66 home to first.  He has n 82 mph exit velo, with a strong frame.  At the plate, tall stance, internal rotation to load, short in line stride, middle of the field approach.  Behind the plate, 2.22 to 2.27 pop times, 75 mph positional velo, both velo and pop times among the top for the event, high three quarters release, fluid footwork with clean exchange, somewhat accurate throws with misses to first base side of bag.


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