Top-10 Profiles of 2020: No. 4 Ryan Bakes
December 28, 2020
As the year starts to unwind, our staff will start to highlight the top-10 most viewed profiles from 2020 - starting at 10 and counting down.
Today we’ll look at Huntley backstop Ryan Bakes, the sixth overall prospect in the Prairie State’s 2023 class and ranked 179th nationally for his class. Bakes quickly cemented himself as a high-follow prospect in January of 2019 and he’s done nothing but improve since then. We saw him several times throughout the summer, including at the PBR Future Games, where he was one of the few 2023 prospects in attendance.
Built like a linebacker, Bakes is a proportionally strong 5-foot-9, 187-pound backstop with prodigious raw power and bat strength harnessed inside a smooth right-handed stroke. He took a noticeably loud round of batting practice at the Future Games - his furthest ball traveling 397 feet and leaving his barrel at 101.21 mph. Complimenting his lucrative offensive profile are fluid actions behind the plate, including soft hands, flexible hips, and premium arm strength from the crouch.
Drew Locascio, our Illinois State Director, saw Bakes at our Limited Series this October and had this to say about him:
“5-foot-9, 180-pound, muscular, right-handed hitting catcher; advanced strength and physicality for age. Possesses some of the best bat speed and power in the class. Was one of the few 2023’s selected to participate at this summer’s Midwest Future Games. Only caught one game on the weekend. Homered three times at a PBR Wisconsin tournament the weekend before. Simple, explosive swing that is compact and repeatable. One of the top uncommitted 2023’s in the Midwest.”
Shortly after, Bakes committed to South Carolina, following in the footsteps of former Huntley Red Raider infielder Jeff Heinrich. Until his college career begins, Bakes figures to be a key cog for the Red Raiders’ offense and further improvement to his all-around game could lead to a truly special product down the road.
TOP-10 PROFILES OF 2020: NO. 4 RYAN BAKES
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Scouting Report
Verbally committed to South Carolina.
5-foot-9, 180-pound, muscular, right-handed hitting catcher; advanced strength and physicality for age. Possesses some of the best bat speed and power in the class. Was one of the few 2023’s selected to participate at this summer’s Midwest Future Games. Only caught one game on the weekend. Homered three times at a PBR Wisconsin tournament the weekend before. Simple, explosive swing that is compact and repeatable. One of the top uncommitted 2023’s in the Midwest.
Positional Profile: C/OF; Emerged this summer as one of the top uncommitted 2023s in the Midwest.
Body: 5-9, 181-pounds. Barrel-chested, muscle-bound frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, quiet setup, minimal wasted movement and short stride. Simple strong swing, fast bat, creates electric bat speed at times. Short and direct to the ball, highly-repeated, connected swing present pull-side power. Hit a towering homerun down the left-field line during game play.
Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee. Max exit velocity of 101.21 mph and max distance of 397' during BP, via TrackMan.
Arm: RH. C - 80 mph. Short, quick arm action, over-the-top slot. Throws have life, play true and consistently around the bag.
Defense: 1.92-2.00 pop times. Quick glove-to-hand release, maintains body control, natural catcher actions. Soft, sound block, plays with bounce behind the plate.
Run: 6.93 runner in the 60. Advanced runner for age and position.
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-9, 175-pounds. Athletic, wide-shouldered frame with strength throughout.
Hit: RHH. Balanced slightly open setup, short stride and minimal load. Easy effort, short uphill bat path, present bat speed, gap-to-gap approach, fluid rhythm and maintains balance throughout.
Power: 97 mph exit velocity from the tee. Power potential moving forward.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short, quick arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.03-2.15 pop times. Advanced defensive actions. Square, flexible target, soft hands, quiet receiver, willing agile soft blocker; deadens the baseball. Clean out of the crouch, replaces feet, highly-repeatable.
Run: 7.16 runner in the 60. Advanced run time for position and age.
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-9, 175-pounds. Strong, athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced slightly open setup, short quiet stride and minimal load. Simple swing, creates present bat speed, short uphill bat path, gap-to-gap approach, fluid rhythm and maintains balance throughout.
Power: 93 mph exit velocity from the tee. Advanced bat strength for age.
Arm: RH. C - 80 mph. Short clean, quick arm action, works from an over-the-top slot. Throws played true with carry.
Defense: 1.98-2.04 pop times. Advanced defensive actions. Square, flexible target, soft hands, quiet receiver, willing agile soft blocker; deadens the baseball. Clean and quick out of the chute, highly-athletic feet.
Run: 4.39 runner home-to-first. Advanced run time for position and age.
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-8, 170-pounds. Strong build throughout, athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, slightly open stance, smooth loading action, short stride, good balance through contact. Physical swing creates bat strength, simple swing, path has some length and gets hard contact to both gaps, hits in rhythm.
Power: 88 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average pop for age.
Arm: RH. C - 77 mph. Short over the top slot, arm played accurate to the bag with carry.
Defense: 2.01-2.14 pop times. Soft hands, plays with quick athletic feet out of the crouch. Soft quiet receiver.
Run: 7.21 runner in the 60.
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-8, 170-pounds. Strong build throughout, athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, slightly open stance, smooth loading action, short stride, good balance through contact. Physical swing creates bat strength, simple swing, path has some length and gets hard contact to both gaps, hits in rhythm.
Power: 88 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average pop for age.
Arm: RH. C - 77 mph. Short over the top slot, arm played accurate to the bag with carry.
Defense: 2.01-2.14 pop times. Soft hands, plays with quick athletic feet out of the crouch. Soft quiet receiver.
Run: 7.21 runner in the 60.
A physical, strong right-handed-hitting catcher with some natural feel behind the plate. Quick catch-and-throw actions and strong hands/wrists help him receive pitches well. Swings hard, aggressively, and flashes gap-to-gap ability.
5-foot-8, 170-pound, strong right-handed hitting catcher/outfielder. Offensively, tall balanced setup, smooth load, short stride and utilizes lower half. Flashed bat speed, consistent hard contact, level barrel path, extension through contact, gap-gap approach. 82 mph exit velocity off the tee. From the outfield, played through the ball, fluid footwork. Threw from a high ¾ slot, short arm action, throws topped at 78 mph from outfield. Behind the plate, quick footwork, clean exchange from glove to hand, accuracy on throws. Pop time ranged between 2.14-2.25. Clocked at 73 mph from behind the plate. Home to first in 4.72.