Michael
Trautwein

7/10/19: A true freshman this past spring, Trautwein handled the bulk of the catching duties for Northwestern, showcasing athletic actions behind the dish and a strong catch-and-throw game resulting in regular sub-2.0 pop times and a 70% caught stealing rate. He continues to look the part of an above-average defender this summer with Lakeshore, boasting soft hands and strong wrists to go with smooth actions, side-to-side. At the plate, Trautwein shows flashes of hard contact and projects as a future gap-to-gap power threat with a chance for some over-the-fence pop to emerge by his draft-eligible junior year. He displays the strike zone command you would expect of a strong defensive backstop, though his aggressiveness at the plate this summer has limited some of his free pass opportunities (currently slashing .281/.336/.385). As part of a talented young core at Northwestern, Trautwein has the tools to grow into an impact backstop, both behind the plate and in the box. He’s already showing a solid Day 3 draft profile and with even minimal offensive growth he could emerge as a strong Day 2 candidate by 2021. (Faleris)