On Oct. 17, the PBR Wisconsin crew traveled to STiKS Academy in Waukesha for its annual Southern Wisconsin Open event. This event was open to all high school classes and gave our staff one last chance to see these prospects in attendance prior to the start of the offseason. We published instant insight in the days following this event in the form of our Quick Hits and Statistical Analysis posts, and we’re beginning our position-by-position analysis today. We’re examining this event’s catchers first, and this group included some interesting freshman follows, as well as a rising junior to know.

That junior, Reece Stangel (Roncalli, 2022), has been one of the state’s biggest winners this fall, following a strong performance at a PBR Illinois invite-only event, pitting some of the area’s top travel teams against each other. Stangel showed stand-out actions defensively, while also taking some fluid right-handed swings. His showing here was one of the day’s most notable takeaways.

Three 2024s managed to earn looks here for different reasons: Brady Johnson (St. Thomas More), Cal Casper (Pulaski), and Donatello Badalamenti (Pulaski). Johnson has above-average defensive actions for his physical stature, and he swings a projectable right-handed bat with upside strength involved. Casper is a natural athlete with advanced defensive actions behind the plate. And Badalamenti’s right-handed bat is quick, and it produced some especially loud contact for his age at this event.

Lastly, another junior, Tyler Hofmann (Germantown, 2022), made a good impression here. He swung a fast, aggressive bat that made some loud contact as well, and he was pretty quick out of the crouch. He looks like an uncommitted junior worth monitoring.

For full scouting reports on each of the day’s catchers, continue on below.

TOP CATCHER PROSPECTS

1. Reece Stangel, Roncalli (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: C; A rising junior who put together a strong fall.
Body: 6-1, 180-pounds. Tall, physical stature; proportional strength.
Hit: RH. Athletic, balanced setup; fluid load, short stride, soft landing. Short, simple bat path to the zone; aggressive swings, extension through impact. Fast hands, bat, loose barrels. Up-the-middle approach with barrel feel.
Power: 88 mph exit velocity from the tee. Hard, repeated line-drives at an average exit speed of 85.1 mph during batting practice.
Arm: RH. C - 81 mph. Loose, over-the-top arm action; throws carry, with accuracy.
Defense: 2.04-2.15 pop times. Efficient exchanges; simple and direct to target. Overall athleticism behind the plate, sure hands, fluid actions.
Run: 7.62 runner in the 60. 

2. Brady Johnson, St. Thomas More (WI), 2024
Positional Profile: C
Body: 6-0, 180-pounds. Physical stature; early strength in long levers.
Hit: RH. Wide/balanced setup; hands set high. Fluid load back, hands drop during toe-tap stride to slightly open plant; shoulders tucked and dipped, at plant. Momentum continues forward following plant. Short and simple bat path, easy and efficient swings; inherent strength projects as he develops.
Power: 88 mph exit velocity from the tee. Innate strength in build creates some projectable bat strength.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. Short, loose throws from an over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.15-2.29 pop times. Simple, projectable actions from the chute; direct footwork, fluid exchanges, lead to on-target throws. Soft hands at reception.
Run: 7.81 runner in the 60. Above-average runner/gait for age and size.

3. Cal Casper, Pulaski (WI), 2024
Positional Profile: C/INF
Body: 5-7, 150-pounds. Lean, athletic build; wiry.
Hit: RH. Tall, slightly open setup; hands set high. Subtle load back, front foot pivot/turn, short and brief stride. Long and level swing through impact; savvy approach.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee. Creates some hard-hit contact for his size and age; topped an 89.8 mph exit speed during batting practice.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. INF - 75 mph. Short, loose arm action, high slot; projects.
Defense: 2.04-2.20 pop times. On the infield, athletic gather, fluid feet; simple and efficient funnels through exchange. Demonstrable two-hand gather. At catcher, demonstrates flexibility and mobility. Confident receiver with soft hands. Quick and efficient exchanges on his throws down to second. Projects to provide value up the middle or from behind the plate as he develops.
Run: 7.45 runner in the 60. Athletic, efficient gait.

4. Donatello Badalamenti, Pulaski (WI), 2024
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 5-11, 185-pounds. Strong, sturdy build.
Hit: RH. Balanced setup, hands set low and away from body. Simple load back, reverse toe-tap stride, balanced throughout. Easy swings with above-average barrel feel, generates above-average bat speed. Natural strength in lofted contact.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee. Projectable power potential; topped 90.4 mph exit speed in batting practice at a max distance of 305 feet.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. INF - 77 mph. Short, loose throws from a high slot. Above-average arm strength that plays from both positions.
Defense: 2.19-2.30 pop times. Simple exchanges, transfers to target. Maintains balance and direction well. On the infield, tall at gather, packs at exchange. Room to develop into a corner infield profile, too.
Run: 8.27 runner in the 60.

5. Tyler Hofmann, Germantown (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-10, 175-pounds.
Hit: RH. Wide/balanced base, pigeon-toed front foot; high hands set. Simple load back, slight coil maintained in leg lift stride. Coil helps create noticeably aggressive, whippy bat; pull-side approach. Creates above-average bat and hand speed; bat speed averaged 70.5 mph, per Blast.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee. Loft in swing helps present some pull/power projection; best batted-ball measured 305 feet at 89.1 mph, per TrackMan.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. Short throws from an over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.18-2.26 pop times. Quick hands and feet; average hands as a receiver. Direct to his target while mostly maintaining balance.
Run: 7.77 runner in the 60.

BEST OF THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Robert Erickson, Middleton (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: C/INF
Body: 5-9, 135-pounds.
Hit: RH. Tall/balanced setup; hands high, bat rests on shoulder. Weight-shift load back, leg hands, long stride, high elbow in load. Short, level bat path through the zone. Demonstrated some hand/eye skills.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. INF - 79 mph. Short, loose throws from a high 3/4 slot on the infield; above-average arm strength for size.
Defense: 2.29-2.43 pop times. On the infield, athletic approach, fluid feet; attacks the ball. Shows some athleticism behind the plate; quickness. Efficient and on target direction.
Run: 7.95 runner in the 60.

Alex Esser, Wauwatosa East (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-7, 160-pounds. Proportional strength in build.
Hit: LH. Balanced/athletic setup; hands set low, away from body. Dips into load back, hands drop, short stride closed. Finishes swings in deep lean back, short and uphill path.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. Some length in arm action, compact to high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.20-2.30 pop times. Low, flexible target; length in transfer and exchange to target.
Run: 8.21 runner in the 60. 

Jaeden LeCapitane, Freedom (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: C/INF
Body: 5-11, 175-pounds. Wiry strength in frame.
Hit: RH. Balanced setup, hands set high. Minimal load, direct stride to even; hands load back creating slight bar/wrap. Short, level bat path through the zone. Long path through the zone, extension in finish.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. INF - 70 mph. Short arm action from a high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.33-2.68 pop times. Tall at gather on the infield; raw overall actions, with some quickness in footwork. Behind the plate, gains ground to target well. More defensive feel at catcher.
Run: 7.40 runner in the 60. 

Christian Lim, Brookfield Central (WI), 2024
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-9, 174-pounds. Strength in lower half.
Hit: RH. Crouched/open setup; hands set high. Loads deep onto back leg, strides to even. Hips and torso release at similar points; short and level bat through the zone. On-plane accuracy, with some bat and hand speed. Above-average strength for age.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee. Line-drive approach; best batted ball travelled 319 feet and left the barrel at 91.0 mph, per TrackMan.
Arm: RH. C - 65 mph. Short throws from an over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.26-2.44 pop times. Some present athleticism helps create some upside from behind the plate; raw actions. Some quickness out of the chute.
Run: 7.80 runner in the 60. 

Michael Maloney, Pulaski (WI), 2021; St. Norbert College commit.
Positional Profile: C/INF
Body: 5-8, 188-pounds.
Hit: RH. Open stance, leg kick stride gets to even, slight hand load back. Path has length, works around the baseball with pull-side approach.
Power: 73 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. INF - 76 mph. Short, over-the-top, loose arm action.
Defense: 2.18-2.33 pop times. Showed direction out of the chute, tall at times. Hands funnel the baseball on the infield, rolls glove into fielding position.
Run: 7.53 runner in the 60.

Mason McKellar, Arrowhead (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: C/INF/RHP
Body: 6-0, 175-pounds. Projectable frame; high-waisted, lean, wiry.
Hit: RH. Tall/balanced setup; loads back into arm bar, toe-tap stride to even. Short path, length through the zone; generates some natural bat speed. Levers help create hard-hit contact that projects as he adds weight/strength.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. INF - 77 mph. On the infield, throws are loose from a low 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.19-2.36 pop times. Can get a little tall at gather on the infield; corner infielder profile with room for improvement. At catcher, low target, flexible setup. Above-average actions for height.
Run: 7.93 runner in the 60. 

Gavin Obremski, Spash (WI), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/C/RHP
Body: 6-0, 185-pounds. Lean strength in build.
Hit: SH. Athletic/balanced stance, open front foot; hands set low, pre-pitch rhythm. Subtle load back, front foot pivot/turn, remains in open position. Creates some positive rotational acceleration in upper half, simple load back. Loose hands help generate barrel feel and some bat speed; up-the-middle approach helped produce consistent line-drive contact, especially from the left side. Natural left-handed hitter with similar swings from the right side, just a much more raw feel for the barrel.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee. Upside bat strength; projects as he continues to develop.
Arm: RH. C - 67 mph. OF - 75 mph. Long, loose throws from an over-the-top slot in the outfield. Short arm action from an over-the-top slot from behind the plate.
Defense: 2.43-2.61 pop times. Athletic approach in the outfield, fluid through exchange into crowhop, plays through the ball well. Side steps at reception from behind the plate, simple to exchange, efficient release.
Run: 7.84 runner in the 60. 

Stephen Paulsen, Middleton (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: C
Body: 6-0, 150-pounds. Thin, lanky levers.
Hit: RH. Balanced/athletic setup, open front foot. Fluid load back, smooth lower half, balanced finished. Opposite-field approach; long bat path, good posture at impact. Up-the-middle approach.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. Short, compact throws from an over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.11-2.12 pop times. Consistent, repeats actions well; quick and fluid, gains ground to target. Direct to target, efficient overall.
Run: 7.19 runner in the 60. Above-average runner.

Logan VanLaanen, Bay Port (WI), 2021
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-11, 225-pounds. Durable strength in build.
Hit: RH. Tall/open setup; weight-shift load back, slight coil in load, leg hang to even stride. Short, level bat path; generates some bat speed, loose hands.
Power: 90 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short throws from an over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.15-2.30 pop times. Some quick, clean transfers; tendency to release throws while still in the crouch.
Run: 7.86 runner in the 60. 

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