Sam
Russo

6/2/14
5-foot-11, 180-pound backstop. Some strength to his frame. Starts in good receiving position. Quick hands and transfer. Throws with short arm action. Accurate throw with top velocity of 74 mph. Pop times between 1.90-2.00. Offensively, uses a short stride. Gets off the backside. Loads from above his shoulder. Slight uphill path with some pop in his bat. Top exit velocity of 87 mph. Ran a 7.47.

2/17/14
There may not have been a prospect in attendance that showed as much progress as Russo over the past year. Let's start with his defense. He isn't a 6-foot-2, 200-pound backstop, but Russo still has a solid, athletic frame at 5-foot-11, 180-pounds that should up at the next level. Using quick feet and short arm action, Russo delivered consistent and accurate 1.97 to 2.05. He may need to improve his setup as he starts a bit wide. His arm strength is good, but still has room for growth. Overall, he had some of the cleanest mechanics of the catcher's in attendance. Offensively, Russo starts in a tall, balanced stance. He uses a smooth load and displays excellent balance throughout his swing. With quick hands and advanced approach, Russo creates solid, gap-to-gap production. 

2/18/13
5-foot-10, 170-pound catching prospect. Ran a 7.59 60. Sets up in a wide base in his crouch. Throws from an over the top arm slot. Pop time fluctuates between 2.13-2.38. Will improve by shortening up his footwork. Reached a top velocity of 70 mph from the crouch. At the plate, the right-handed hitter starts with a slightly open stance. Takes a short stride to the ball. Hands load from a high trigger. Reached a top exit velocity of 79 mph off the bat.