Silas
Ardoin

The son of former Major League catcher, Danny Ardoin, Silas was drafted in the 36th round out of high school in 2019 by the Rockies. Now one of the top throwing catchers in the country, he has always been highly regarded for his defensive prowess, and lately he has shown significant progress with the bat. In 2021 Ardoin started 53 games behind the plate and did not commit an error. Possessing a plus arm and a quick transfer, he threw out 20 runners of the 48 (42%) who attempted to steal in 2021. Heading into Red River Rivalry he had thrown out 14 of 22 (64%) this season. However, with a Sooner stampede of seven stolen bases on Saturday and eight in the series, he now totals 17-for-33 (52%). His POP times ranged from 1.88 on a throw to the 1st base side of the bag to a 2.09 on a low pitch to his glove side with an open throwing lane. Ardoin also has high level receiving abilities. He's quiet with his movements and polished behind the dish. Offensively, he's also quiet in the batter's box and has a balanced swing. There's plus strength with above average bat speed. He was short to the ball and consistently showed that he knows how to get the barrel to it. For the series he was 4-for-10 with two HR and three RBI, raising his season slash to .300/.389/.527. In a very small sample size I left Arlington more impressed with Ardoin's offense than his defense. Overall, Ardoin has all the defensive talents and skills to have a long ML career. Whether it's as a backup or an everyday role, only time (and his bat) will tell. Similar to what was noted above regarding Crooks, college catchers with strong defensive skills, plus arm strength and a chance to hit are not too common in the draft. In 2020 catchers who were drafted in rounds 2-4 included Dillon Dingler (Ohio State), Zavier Warren (Central Michigan), Carson Taylor (Virginia Tech) and Matthew Dyer (Arizona). Currently, Ardoin is likely to be selected around the 3rd-5th rounds, but just as Dingler ballooned his way into the second round two years ago mostly through increased offensive production, Ardoin could as well IF the uptick in his offense continues.

Currently ranked No. 33 in Louisiana’s 2019 class. Stocky 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame, athletic build. Right-handed hitter that starts from tall, stacked setup with hands starting above shoulders. Subtle leg lift load, with length in stride and lands balanced. Line-drive approach with fluid rhythm, level path into an uphill finish and bat speed that produced an exit velocity of 82 mph. Quality defender with soft hands, fluid, efficient footwork, and quick, clean transfers. Short arm action into high-¾ release with accuracy and carry on throws that produced a positional velocity of 76 mph, and a pop time of 2.03-seconds. Also posted a 7.25 60-yard dash.