Hunter
Carlson

While C Hunter Carlson (Hudson, 2024) has traditionally been known for his slick defending behind the plate, his smooth left-handed bat has made some big strides over the course of 2023. During the catcher defense portion of the event, Carlson’s advanced defensive skill set continued to garner our staff’s attention as he was quick out of the crouch and marked pop-time lows of 1.95. Carlson turned heads during BP, utilizing a balanced setup with a rhythmic load, he marked exit velocity highs of 95.3 mph and averaged 88.2 mph which speaks to just how on the barrel he was during his round. He brought over his hot bat into live gameplay as he singled, all while looking the part of a lockdown defender behind the plate and he remains one of the top uncommitted backstops in the state.

While C Hunter Carlson (Hudson, 2024) has traditionally been known for his slick defending behind the plate but his smooth left-handed bat has made some big strides over the course of 2023. During the catcher defense portion of the event, Carlson’s advanced defensive skill set continued to garner our staff’s attention as he was quick out of the crouch and marked pop-time lows of 1.95. Carlson turned heads during BP, utilizing a balanced setup with a rhythmic load, he marked exit velocity highs of 95.3 mph and averaged 88.2 mph which speaks to just how on the barrel he was during his round. He brought over his hot bat into live gameplay as he singled, all while looking the part of a lockdown defender behind the plate and he remains one of the top uncommitted backstops in the state. 

Positional Profile: C/SS
Body: 6-1, 195-pounds. Athletic frame with strength throughout; projects well.
Hit: LHH. Quiet balanced setup, hands load back in rhythm as bat tips, strides short.  Strong hands, works uphill through the zone with leverage out front, gap-to-gap approach. 65.9 mph bat speed with 8 G’s of rotational acceleration.
Power: 95 max exit velocity, averaged 88.2 mph. 366’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 79 mph. Short arc, high 3/4 slot, accurate, what it should look like.
Defense: 1.95-2.15 pop times. Quick transfer, short right foot, repeats. Reliable blocker.
Run: 7.87 runner in the 60.

Carlson is a 6-foot-0, 175 pound player that displays quality tools and clean actions in both the field and at the plate. Defensively from behind the dish, presents quick hands and shows the ability to get his upper and lower body moving at the same time. Flashed a 2.04-2.08 second pop time and 78 mph max velocity, which was showcased in the first game of the Future Games as Carlson threw a runner out at second base. Offensively, from the left side of the plate, Carlson presents a falling load and quiet hands that allows him to barrel the baseball. His showcase on Wednesday makes him one of the top catching prospects to look for during the rest of the tournament.

Positional Profile: C
Body: 6-0, 175-pounds. Athletic, projectable,
Hits: LHH. Stock setup, short trigger Leverage, direct, hitterish, sprays to all fields, hitterish
Power: 89 max exit velocity, averaged 79 MPH. 293' max distance.
Arm: RH. C-78 mph. Shorter draw, carry, strong arm,
Defense: 2.00-2.10 pop times. Short transfer, some wind up to the release, but solid pop up with a strong arm,
Run: 7.93 runner in the 60.

Positional Profile: C
Body: 6-0, 175-pounds. Athletic, projectable,
Hits: LHH. Stock setup, short trigger Leverage, direct, hitterish, sprays to all fields, hitterish
Power: 89 max exit velocity, averaged 79 MPH. 293' max distance.
Arm: RH. C-78 mph. Shorter draw, carry, strong arm,
Defense: 2.00-2.10 pop times. Short transfer, some wind up to the release, but solid pop up with a strong arm,
Run: 7.93 runner in the 60.

Carlson is an advanced defender inside of an upside 6-foot, 175-pound build, and the promise he has in his left-handed bat combine to make him one of the most intriguing players in the state’s incoming junior class. Carlson popped efficiently and effortlessly in the low 2.00s, attached to 78 mph arm strength, and it’s a skill set that should seamlessly translate in-game. Offensively, Carlson swings a pretty, smooth left-handed bat that meets pitches on plane well. While his overall strength is lacking in the batter’s box currently, it’s easy to foresee a future in which Carlson is making more authoritative contact, and that will only uplift the prospect status he offers because of his excellent defense.

Positional Profile: C/SS - Ranked 19th in Wisconsin’s 2024 class
Body: 5-11, 155-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Open athletic start. Small hand load and knee lift. Shows rhythm and easy swing. Stays short to contact. Ground ball and line drive contact, consistent barrel contact in round. 
Power: 86.7 max exit velocity, averaged 82.8 mph. 272’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. INF - 76 mph.
Defense: C- Works from knee. Clean glove, and works low to high. Holds the zone. Moves athletically to block. Quick exchange and feet. 1.96-2.07 pop times. INF - Active and inline footwork. Hands work out front and clean
Run: 7.94 runner in the 60.

Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-10, 150-pounds. - Lean, room to fill out
Defense: One knee stance. Shows athletic movements. Good glove and works low to high. Overall consistent. Clean exchange and average footwork. 2.06-2.19 pop times.
Arm: R. C - 73 mph.
Hit: L. Balanced start and into small leg lift. Good hands and short to contact. Consistent swing and contact in round. Contact hitter, that could develop more power.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Run: 7.87 runner in the 60.

Positional Profile: C/SS
Body: 5-8, 140-pounds. Thin build.
Hit: LHH. Slightly open stance, balanced setup, some stack into back leg. Smooth load in rhythm, short stride, balanced through contact.  Long and level bat path, barrel head works out front, comfortable elevating the baseball, consistently hits in rhythm.
Power: 82.44 max exit velocity, averaged 72.45 mph. 278’ max distance.
Arm: L/R. C - 72 mph. INF - 77 mph. Short loose arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Took reps behind the plate and on the infield. Lower half works in rhythm toward the bag, feet gain ground, soft hands at gather, quick and clean transfer to release, plays through the baseball. Active on the infield, glove works out front, hands funnel inward, packs to release.
Run: 8.00 runner in the 60. 

Athletic, developing frame behind the plate. Solid receiver and blocker that should continue to develop as he gets stronger. Has a fluid left-handed swing with a middle of the field approach, hitting a few hard line-drives during the weekend. Uncommitted.

Position: C/SS

Body: 5-foot-8, 140-pound

Hit: Begins in an open stance with a controlled load, then uses a small leg kick just before his swing. High finish, simple swing.

Power: 65 mph exit velocity. up the middle approach.

Defense: Catcher, Soft hands, clean exchange, consistent footwork. Average. Has athletic setup. Catcher, Soft hands, clean exchange, consistent footwork. Average. Infield, Sure hands, consistent footwork, clean exchange. Above average.

Arm: 72 Infield velocity. 68 Catcher Velocity. 2.32-2.45 pop times. Short arm action, ¾ slot, consistent accuracy.

Speed: 8.45