UPDATE: 2009 Draft - Top Catchers

C:

1. Tony Sanchez - Boston College… 5-10, 210… hit .410/.505/.710 through first 78 at-bats this season… Sanchez hit .313 during BC's 2008 season and led the Eagles in most major offensive categories, including hits (66), RBI (45), total bases (109) and home runs (9)… 4-6-9: named ACC pow, for 2nd time in 2009: has 12 HRs so far this season… through 4-7: .381/.475/.763. Current scouting consensus has him first catcher drafted. Is projected to remain behind the plate for his entire career. Thru 4-25: .366/.459/.686, 153 ABs

2. Josh Phegley Indiana… Junior… 5-11, 215, R/R… 2008: Was named a second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball News, the American Baseball Coaches Association, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America and Ping!Baseball… .438/.507/.756, 34 BB/22K, 37 extra base hits in 224 at bats… .522 wOBA*, .329 IsoP, 16.5% BB, 13.6% K… having a big year in 2009 at the plate… currently considered one of the two (Tony Sanchez) top college catchers available in the draft. Could possibly be moved out of position long term… mixed reviews on defensive ability…

3. Austin Maddox - Eagle’s View Academy (FL)… 6'4" 220, RR … raw power… tremendous arm…17 years old… can punish the ball… well below-average runner… arm is plus plus… possibly best arm in draft… tree truck thighs… finalist for the Jackie Robinson Award as the 2008 National High School Player of the Year… ranked No. 4 in the state of Florida according to Prospectswire.com, No. 1 C… ranked No. 14 on PG CrossChecker.com list of Top High School Prospects … ranked No. 18 on Baseball America's list of Top 100 High School Prospects… member of the 2008 USA 18-U National Team… first-team Class 1A all-state selection as a catcher in 2008… batted .515 with 67 RBI and 12 homers at Eagle's View Academy last spring… batted .491 with 41 RBI and five homers and was a first-team all-state pick as a sophomore… 1.76 pop time… arm clocked in the mid-90s… committed to Univ. of Florida.

4. Max Stassi - Yuba City… 5-10, 190… excellent defense… strong arm… power potential… hit three home runs in his first two games this season…18 years old… verbally committed to UCLA… a baseball rat… excellent plus plus defensively… great catch and throw skills… line drive hitter… good speed for a catcher. 2009: As of 4-7: 14-22, 7 doubles, 7 HRs… a baseball rat… rocket arm…

5. Robert Stock – USC – good pitcher, but one of the top college catchers…

6. Ryan Ortiz - Oregon State… junior… 6-3, 205, R/R… no home run power… below-average speed… average arm but quick release… won Pac-10 pow 4-6-9: 6-12 week before, .500, .667 slug%, .571 OBP… plays 1B also…

7. Mike Zunino - Mariner HS; Cape Coral, FL. 6′2, 185, Bats R, Throws R… verbally committed to Florida… ranked No. 12 in the state of Florida according to Prospectswire.com, No. 2 C … ranked No. 50 on Baseball America's list of Top 100 High School Prospects… ranked No. 60 on PG CrossChecker.com list of Top High School Prospects… batted .457 with 32 RBI, an .897 slugging percentage and a school-record 10 HR



8. Wil Myers - Wasleyan Christian Academy… also plays 3B… hit .625 through March this season…
rated No. 13 best high school player in the country by PG Crosschecker as well as the No. 1 best high school player in the state of North Carolina… rated No. 14 best high school player in the country by Baseball America, as well as the No. 27 best prospect in the nation for the 2009 MLB Draft … named by Baseball America as one of the top 10 hitters at the 2008 World Wood Bat Championships. Committed to Univ. South Carolina… 11 HRs in first 11 games… considered more valuable if he stays behind the plate…





9. Joey Lewis - Georgia … 6-4, 225, junior, R/R… 2008: .264, 6HR, 38 RBI, .979 fielding, threw out 38% of runners… started all six games at the College World Series and batted .450 (9-for-20) with two doubles, a triple and 7 RBI (6 with two outs), his .450 average ranked second overall on the club behind only Gordon Beckham (.522)

10. Tommy Joseph – (up from #12) - Horizon HS (AZ)… From BA 5/8: In a tight 6-5 victory in April over Desert Ridge High School and fellow draft prospect Jake Barrett, Joseph when 1-for-4 with a double and three RBIs as Horizon scored six times in the seventh to win. For the season, Joseph has hit .494 through 27 games with 15 homers and 34 RBIs


11. Drew Robertson - Middle Tenn St…. 6-3, 165… hitting .460 so far this season and has a .535 on-base percentage. 2008: played only in 38 games and batted .175.

12. Dan Burkhart - Ohio State… sophomore… L/R… 5-11, 205… outstanding defensive catcher… 2008: ranked fifth on the team with 53 hits and fourth with 29 RBI ... played summer baseball in the Northwoods League for the Mankato (Minn.) Moon Dogs. 2009: Through 4-7: .387, named Big-10 POW


13. Jonathan Walsh - Coppell HS senior… 6-3, 211… S/R… above average arm… weakness is defense… some pop on ball… very good overall athlete, but known for his bat… can drive the ball gap-to-gap… excellent bat speed… committed to Texas.


14. Matt Williams - Duke… .394 batting average so far this year… 3.41 grade point average…

15. Griffin Benedict - Georgia Southern… senior… 6-0, 185…hitting .407 with an on-base percentage over .520… 2008: Named Third Team Preseason All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association... Second Team All-Southern Conference... ranked 61st nationally in RBI per game (1.14)...

16. Andrew Susac - Jesuit HS; Roseville, CA. 6′1, 190, Bats R, Throws R… Oregon State commit… 2008: earned First-Team honors on the All-State, All-City and All-League lists and was a Perfect Game National Showcase invitee. His junior year, he batted .475 with 33 RBI, eight stolen bases, nine doubles and six home runs.

17. Richard Stock - Agoura HS; Agoura Hills, CA. 6′3, 185, Bats L, Throws R… 2008: power hitter… potential 30+ HR hitter… also, gap power… rifle arm, clocked at 1.85 to second… slow on the basepath.

18. Nolan Arenado – El Toro HS (CA.) – also plays SS… finished season going 8-14 in playoffs… 2009: .529, 21G, 3 HR, 14 doubles, 19 RBIs, 68 Abs.

19. Blake Forsythe - Tennessee… 6-2, 220… sophomore… 2008: played in 22 games with 16 starts ... threw out 11 potential base-stealers ...

20. Geno Escalante - Fairfield HS… 5-10, 185, R/R… Keith Law (9/08 article) had him as the 35th draft pick…

21. Cameron Garfield - Murrieta Valley HS… 6-0, 190… R/R… 3.71 GPA… committed to San Diego…

22. Jonathan Meyer - Simi Valley HS… 6-1, 200… 2008: .402, 34 R, 41 H, 43 RBIs, 9 HR… committed to Cal-State Fullerton.

23. Drew Beuerlein - UNLV junior… 6-0, 195… also plays 1B and DH… solid hitter… 2008: .260, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs…

24. Jack Murphy - Princeton… junior… S/R… 6-4, 230… first team all-Ivy… 2008: .391, 61 H, 156 Abs, 40 RBI, 33R, 8 HR, .628 slug %...

25. Shane Brown - Central Florida… junior… 5-10, 200… 2008: .367, 9 HR, 49 RBI… .609 slug%... .447 OBP

26. Tommy Medica – – 6-1, 190, L/L…

27. Diego Seastrunk - Rice… junior… 5-10, 180, S/R… good hitter from both sides of the plate… more of a gap hitter… runs average for catcher… solid arm… a line-drive machine… great name.

28. Carl Leaf - San Ignacio de Loyola HS, Puerto Rico… 5-11, 190, S/R… super speed… power from left side of field… major league arm… 1.91 to 2B… signed with Mississippi State…

29. Eric Castro - San Diego State… as of 4/6/09: leads the team: .389/.517/.684, 6 HRs…

30. Trevor Coleman – Missouri – Junior… 6-1, 211 S/R…

31. Carlos Ramirez – Arizona State – transfer from Chandler-Gilbert CC… MVP in Northwoods league… through April 25: .307/.431/.677, 13 HRs… excellent defensively.

32. Travis Simas - Nevada… senior… hit .600 for the week that included his 10th and 11th HR of the season…

33. Steven Barron – Ferguson School (FL) – 6-0, 185… through April: .333 in 23 games..

34. Mark Fleury – North Carolina junior… 4/25: named ACC player of the week: thru 4/25: .339, 10HRs, 52 RBIs

35. Chris Henderson – 4/27: CAA player of the week: batted .640 prior week… leads league with .436…

36. Luke Bailey - Troup HS (GA)… 6-0, 195, R/R… top prep catcher… also plays 1B… committed to Auburn… has power and a very good arm… rated top high school catcher… some concern about his weight. – 5/1 update: out – strained ulnar collateral ligament while pitching – scheduled for TJS… from BA 5/8: Bailey was near the top of a pretty long list of high school catchers in this Draft class until he underwent Tommy John surgery last week. This report comes from a game a month ago and teams might still be interested in his catch-and-throw skills…