Luke
McDonald

Big Apple Preview (October 8, 2016)

McDonald, a 2017 right-handed hitting catcher currently ranked as the 2nd best catcher in his class, stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs a solid 196 pounds, ran a 7.20 60. Offensively- Hits from a square, feet more than shoulder width apart, slightly crouched base with the hands above the back shoulder and barrel of the bat 45-degrees. Initiates the swing with a short simple stride keeping the hands behind the rotation of the hips, generating plus bat speed. Drove the ball with authority to all fields, mainly staying between the pull side and opposite field gap. Recorded an exit velocity of 94 MPH on the day. Defensively-  Sets up with a tight primary stance, with the left knee slightly below the right knee, opening a clean path to receive the pitch on the inner third of the zone. Secondary stance gets into a higher position, with both knees parallel as well as level with the hips. Throws to second base, transfer the ball from the center of the body using a short quick arm action to get to the release point. Throws showed plus carry and accuracy, recording an arm velocity of 74 MPH with a best pop time of 1.91.