Q&A with Minnesota commit Caden Capomaccio
January 20, 2022
A major winner in 2021, RHP Caden Capomaccio (Notre Dame Academy, 2022) is one of the top arms in the Badger State. After an impressive spring and summer circuit, he rose 15-spots in our ‘22 rankings to the 12th spot. This jump in our rankings was due to a big velo jump when we saw him at our Madison Preseason I.D. last year, where he reached 91 mph and throughout the summer our staff saw him up to 92 mph. Capomaccio showcases a true three-pitch mix with a heavy, downer action changeup thrown at arm speed, and a legitimate swing-and-miss slider. At the end of the month Capomaccio will be joining some of the best talent from Wisconsin and Illinois at our Preseason Procase, an invite only event which is designed to bring together some of the area's potential draft talent to one place.
In June of last year, Capomaccio announced his commitment to Big-10 member, Minnesota. We had the opportunity to talk with Capomaccio about how his recruiting process went, along with other baseball-related topics.
LATEST SCOUTING REPORT
OUR Q&A
PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?
Capomaccio: I was looking for a school that would fit my athletic and academic wants. Coaching and development was the key factor in my end decision and the coaches at Minnesota have had a good history of developing their players onto the next level.
P: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?
C: Yes, I narrowed down my schools to just the midwest so it would be driving distance.
P: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Where did the school you committed to first see you play?
C: I started to get recruited more after the Madison Preseason PBR event. Minnesota was one of the first schools to reach out to me after this event and watched me later during school and summer ball.
P: What do you like most about the program you chose, and what were the key factors in making your decision?
C: Overall, Minnesota has some of the best history in the BIG 10 and I wanted to be a part of that. Having Coach Anderson at Minnesota for almost 40 years makes the program that much more special and shows how much passion he has for the people around him. This is really what drove me to come to Minnesota.
P: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?
C: University of Indiana, Xavier University, and University of Notre Dame.
P: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college-caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?
C: Freshman year I knew that I was a college-caliber player but did not know at what level. Junior year is when I had a big jump and the recruiting started to get heavier.
P: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?
C: One thing that I regret not doing is starting to lift earlier. If you think you have the ability to play at the next level, start training early. It will only benefit you in the future.
P: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?
C: I have had a lot of memorable moments that I will always cherish but committing to my dream school was a goal that I have always had.
P: Preview your high school team's season for us. How do you feel your team will be?
C: Last year we were young which will benefit us this year because we are more experienced. I believe we will be one of the top teams in the FRCC and hopefully make a run in the playoffs.
Scouting Report
At our Madison Preseason I.D. event, Capomaccio took a major leap forward since our last look at the 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-hander. Capomaccio was up to 91 mph with his fastball, sitting 89-90 mph with control of the zone. Most impressive was his sinking changeup that was thrown aggressively, with heavy action and the bottom just falls off. His slider showed some depth and control as another viable offering. Look for his name to rise up the rankings board before this pivotal summer junior-to-senior summer.