Prep Baseball Report

MO-KAN Fall Review: Catcher's Analysis



Shon Plack
Missouri/Kansas Scouting Director

On Saturday, October 31, Prep Baseball Report Missouri/Kansas held the MO-KAN Fall Review at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. 

Fourty-one players in the 2019 to 2016 classes from both states took part in the event.  Profiles have been updated with times, velocities, profile pitchers and videos. 

We will break down the event position-by-position, starting with the catchers.  In the days to come, we will break down the infielders, outfielders and pitchers.  Catchers are listed in alphabetical order.

CLICK HERE, to see the Instant Analysis from the MO-KAN Fall Review. 

Catchers

Kade Franks, C, Jefferson City (MO), 2017
Franks is a 5-foot-10 170-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2017 class.  Franks starts in an athletic position at the plate, loads into back leg, finishes in wide base with leverage.  Level path, quick bat speed, used whole field during batting practice, showing power to pull side, 85 mph exit velo and 7.70 60.  Behind the plate, high three-quarters release, hands and feet work together, throws with momentum towards target, pop times between 2.09 and 2.32, 73 mph positional velo. Ran a 4.34 home-to-first. 

Crichton Hill, C, Grain Valley (MO), 2018
Hill is a 6-foot-1 155-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2018 class.  At the plate, Hill starts in balanced stance, early stride with front foot, no wasted movement in load, lands in line, used the middle of the field during batting practice, repeats swing, 80 mph exit velo, ran a 7.69 60 and got down the line in 4.78-seconds. Behind the plate, top pop time at 2.19-seconds, clean exchange with quick footwork, over-the-top release, 67 mph positional velo. 

Braxton Johannsen, C, Maize South (KS), 2016
Johannsen is a 5-foot-10 175-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2016 class. Johannsen had a good round of batting practice, hitting consistent line drives gap-to-gap, athletic stance, loose hands, level bat path to extension.  77 mph exit velo, 8.32 60-yard dash time, 4.75 home-to-first. Behind the plate, pop times between 2.29 and 2.45, clean exchange, fluid footwork, quick transfer, over-the-top release, 68 mph positional velo.

Michael Velazquez, C, Blue Valley Southwest (KS), 2017
Velazquez is a 6-foot-2 205-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas 2017 class.  Velazquez ran a 7.84 60 and was down the line in 4.68-seconds.  At the plate, starts in an athletic position, some hand load, smooth rhythm, level swing, hands work inside ball, has ability to hit to both gaps, line drive approach.   Behind the plate, pop times between 2.11 and 2.08, over-the-top release, clean exchange and release, fluid footwork, momentum towards target, 72 mph positional velo. 

Forrest Wilson, C, Hickman (MO), 2017
Wilson is a 5-foot-10 175-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2017 class.  Wilson ran a 7.55 60 and got down the line in 4.77-seconds.  At the plate, Wilson squared up the ball consistently up the middle and to the pull side, loads into back leg, gets slightly uphill in bat path, quick bat speed, starts with open stance, finishes in balanced position, 88 mph exit velocity.  Behind the plate, 2.11 to 2.30 pop time, quick feet, long exchange, over-the-top release, soft hands, 75 mph positional velo.

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