Eastern Wisconsin Open: Catching Analysis

September 11, 2017

By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor - Wisconsin/Illinois

This week we begin rolling out reports from the Eastern Wisconsin Open. Starting with the catchers, this group was highlighted by 2020 left-handed hitting catcher Blake Carey who posted the best arm arm and pop times as well as showing soft hands behind the dish. Here’s a look at all the catching prospects in alphabetical order.

Blake Carey, C, University School of Milwaukee, 2020
6-foot-1, 180-pound catcher, strong athletic build. Left-handed hitter, open setup, leg lift stride. Simple approach, showed bat strength, hands play with pull side approach, 81 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action is short and over the top, flashed carry, 74 mph. Above average hands, quiet receiver, 2.12-2.19 pop times. 7.61 runner in the 60.

Jared Chesak, C, Kewaskum, 2018
6-foot-1, 185-pound catcher, above average frame with some length. Arm played long and loose, occasional carry, high ¾ slot, 73 mph out of the crouch. Hands played, showed agility behind the plate, ability to block and recover. 2.18-2.34 pop times. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short toe tap stride, loads hands back. Made occasional hard contact to pull side, showed raw bat strength. 88 mph exit velocity from the tee. 7.48 runner in the 60.

Kole Ploeckelman, C, Elk Mound, 2018
5-foot-8, 160-pound catcher, smaller frame carries strength. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, moving parts to load, short stride, lower half collapse. Path works uphill, long, 85 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively pop times posted at 2.42-2.61. Flashed quick actions out of the crouch, arm is short and over the top, firm arm at 73 mph. 7.48 runner in the 60.

Caden Rhyner, C, Waunakee, 2019
5-foot-11, 165-pound catcher, frame has lean strength. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, tall setup, short stride. Long path on uphill plane, pull side approach. 83 mph exit velocity from the tee. 2.43-2.55 pop times. Arm played short and over the top, 67 mph, exchange gets long, gets tall coming out of the chute. 7.28 runner in the 60.