On Wednesday, February 26th, the PBR Illinois staff made its last stop on the high school winter showcase circuit for the third annual Peoria Preseason I.D. Approximately 70 prospects from the area and all high school classes made their way to the Louisville Slugger Dome in Peoria.

We begin our positional breakdown with a look at the catchers in attendance. The biggest winner behind the plate was Josh Heyder (Washington, 2021). The physical uncommitted junior showed clean, easy actions behind the plate and a big arm at 80 mph. At the plate, Heyder has a simple strong swing and when everything syncs he flashes pull-side power.

Behind Heyder on the list is left-handed hitting Carson Dubach (Edwardsville, 2021). Dubach is fundamentally sound across the board. He has a simple, repeatable swing, controls the barrel and is clean and efficient behind the plate with an accurate arm. 

Read on below for reports on all of the catchers from the event.

TOP CATCHING PROSPECTS

1. Josh Heyder, Washington (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 6-foot, 210-pounds. Broad-shouldered strong build with physciality throughout.
Hit: RHH. Balanced wide setup, smooth loading action and mininimal stride. Quiet compact swing, strong hands, present bat strength, short path and flashed pull-side power.
Power: 91 mph exit velocity from the tee. Power potential.
Arm: RH. C - 80 mph. INF - 88 mph. Easy arm strength. Short over-the-top arm action and throws played with carry.
Defense: 2.07-2.19 pop times. Showed best behind the plate but has the ability to profile as a corner infielder as well. Clean and directional out of the crouch. Efficient and easy actions, advanced blocks; deadens the baseball in front. Quiet receiver, soft hands.
Run: 7.60 runner in the 60. 

2. Carson Dubach, Edwardsville (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: /SS
Body: 5-foot-7, 140-pounds. Wiry build.
Hit: LHH. Narrow open setup, smooth load and stride works back to square. Loose hands, fluid rhythm, stays through the zone, line-drive gap-to-gap approach.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. INF - 81 mph. Short arm action, plays over-the-top. Throws play true and with carry from behind the plate.
Defense: 2.11-2.26 pop times. Worked out behind the plate and on the infield. Behind the plate, flexible hips, athletic clean actions, repeatable and directional out of the crouch. Soft hands, soft willing blocker.
Run: 7.35 runner in the 60.

3. Nathan Cooley, Illinois Valley Central (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-9, 160-pounds. Athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Open setup, short stride gets back to square. Level bat path, line-drive spray approach.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee. Sneaky bat strength.
Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. Short arm action, plays clean, accurate and from an over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.08-2.14 pop times. Athletic actions, quick and clean out of the crouch; highly repeatable. Flexible hips, quiet receiver, presents pitches in and around the zone.
Run: 7.50 runner in the 60. 

3. Dylan Dickerson, Sacred Heart-Griffin  (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: C/SS
Body: 5-foot-9, 140-pounds. Well-proportioned frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced quiet setup, smooth load and short stride.  Simple, repeatable swing, level through the zone, consistent hard line-drive contact.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 77 mph. Short over-the-top arm action and throws played true, flashing carry.
Defense: 2.08-2.32 pop times. Low flexible setup, quick clean release. Soft hands, agile blocker.
Run: 7.22 runner in the 60. 

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Jacob Abenroth, Dunlap (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: /1B
Body: 5-foot-11, 145-pounds. Lean build with plenty of room for added strength.
Hit: RHH. Tall upright setup and leg-kick timing trigger. Loose levers, long bat path, extension at times and pull-side approach.
Power: 83 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. INF - 75 mph. Short arm action, 3/4 slot from behind the plate.
Defense: 2.17-2.37 pop times. Worked out behind the plate and on the infield. Steady infield defender, clean transfer and sure-handed. Behind the plate, replaces feet, clean transfer.
Run: 7.65 runner in the 60. 

Tyler Adkins, MTHS (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 6-foot-1, 195-pounds. Athletic, strong frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced slightly crouched setup, minimal load and long stride. Long path, pull-side approach and the ball jumps off the barrel at times.
Power: 90 mph exit velocity from the tee. Present bat strength.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. Arm plays short and over-the-top.
Defense: 2.19-2.29 pop times. Squared setup, sure-handed, quiet receiver.
Run: 7.48 runner in the 60. 

Andrew Coats, Normal Community West (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-foot-10, 175-pounds. Strong, muscular frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced quiet setup, minimal load and short stride. Strong hands, flashed bat speed, level path and worked the pull-side gap.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. OF - 78 mph. Behind the plate, arm plays short and over-the-top.
Defense: 2.28-2.47 pop times. Worked out behind the plate and in the outfield. Proper routes and clean release in the outfield. Low flexible setup behind the plate. Clean release and feet work directionally.
Run: 7.93 runner in the 60. 

Ayden Hendrix, Kewanee Wethersfield (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-foot-8, 135-pounds. Lean build with plenty of room for added strength.
Hit: RHH. Balanced upright setup, minimal load and short stride. Quiet swing, long level bat path, pull-side approach.
Power: 69 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 62 mph. Short arm action, 3/4 slot and throws played with accuracy at times.
Defense: 2.69-2.82 pop times. Square upright setup, clean release.
Run: 8.54 runner in the 60. 

Kannon Kleine, Galesburg (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B
Body: 5-foot-10, 185-pounds. Strong, wide-shouldered frame.
Hit: RHH. Wide balanced setup, smooth subtle pre-pitch load and minimal stride. Strong fast hands, short path, natural lift at times, uses the middle of the field.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. INF - 77 mph. Short firm arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.19-2.35 pop times. Worked out on the infield and behind the plate. Clean upright transfer on the infield. Behind the plate, steady hands, directional release.
Run: 7.65 runner in the 60. 

Ryan Robinson, Rochester (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/2B
Body: 5-foot-9, 145-pounds. Wiry build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced slightly open setup, quiet load and stride gets to square. Loose hands, level path, fluid rhythm and pull-side approach.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 66 mph. Short arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.44-2.62 pop times. Flexible hips, sure-handed, lets the ball travel, willing blocker.
Run: 7.34 runner in the 60. 

Ethan Sosnowski, East Peoria Community  (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 6-foot-2, 190-pounds. Physical, well-proportioned build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, deep pre-pitch load and toe-tap stride. Creates leverage, stays inside the baseball, short uphill path and uses the middle of the field.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. Short arm action, 3/4 to high 3/4 slot and throws were consistently around the second base bag.
Defense: 2.19-2.33 pop times. Minimal wasted movement, clean release, reliable hands.
Run: 7.18 runner in the 60. Above-average runner for age and position.

Ethan Winters, Sacred Heart-Griffin (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-foot-9, 140-pounds. Lean athletic build.
Hit: LHH. Open tall setup, subtle load and short stride. Simple handsy swing, short path, stays level at times. Line-drive approach, consistently worked the middle of the field.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 63 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.59-2.80 pop times. Open setup, steady hands,  transfer works on-line and deadened block.
Run: 7.88 runner in the 60. 

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