2019 Draft: Top 10 Catchers

Rutschman has established himself as the best player in the draft class thanks to a stellar sophomore year that saw him earn All-American honors, be named College World Series Most Outstanding Player after leading the Beavers to the national championship and then star for Team USA during the summer. He has a premium skillset and rates above-average in hitting, power, defense and arm strength.

In most years, Langeliers would clearly be the best catcher in the class. He has a solid all-around skillset, though his offensive tools grade out more as average. He suffered a broken hamate on Opening Weekend and will be sidelined by the injury for a few weeks. It shouldn’t affect his draft stock much, however. Nick Madrigal had the same injury a year ago and still went fourth overall.

The Huskies have had an impressive run of catchers in the last five years, with Austin Rei (2015) and Joey Morgan (2017) going out in the third round and Willie MacIver (2018) picked in the ninth round. Kahle is the next in line and stands out for his catch-and-throw skills. He’s off to a strong start offensively this spring and has good contact skills.

Martorano has been a solid presence behind the plate the last two seasons for North Carolina. He’s a steady defender with above-average arm strength. Offensively, he has above-average raw power, though it comes with some swing-and-miss.

Groshans’ younger brother Jordan was the 12th overall pick in last year’s draft. Jaxx won’t match his brother’s lofty draft status but is a solid prospect in his own right. He has the athleticism to play third base and the outfield, but he’s most comfortable behind the plate. He is aggressive offensively but has a good overall feel for the game.

Johnson was a prominent player out of the Illinois prep ranks and was voted a first-team Preseason High School All-American by MLB scouting directors in 2016. Known for his premium defense, he hadn’t hit much in college before this year. But he’s started this season hot offensively and if he can maintain that to go with his above-average arm strength and defense, he would make a move up draft boards this spring.

The son of former Gophers star and All-Star catcher Dan Wilson, Eli Wilson is in his second season as Minnesota’s starter behind the plate. He is a steady all-around player with some power and good feel at the plate to go with solid defensive skills.

With Joey Bart behind the plate for Georgia Tech, McCann mostly played first base the last two seasons. He’s taken over behind the plate this year, however, where his arm strength plays well. He also offers plenty of lefthanded power, making for an intriguing combination.

The Bears have had an impressive run of producing hitters, with Jake Burger and Jeremy Eierman being drafted in the top two rounds in back-to-back years. Millas may not have that lofty of a ceiling, but as a switch hitter with good bat speed and above-average arm strength, he is an intriguing prospect.

A draft-eligible sophomore, Clarke has gotten off to a solid start at the plate this spring. The lefthanded hitter has above-average raw power and makes a lot of hard contact. Defensively, Clarke isn’t as advanced, but he has made some strides in the last year.