Joe Mack Stats & Scouting Report

AB	423
AVG	.241
OBP	.322
SLG	.456
HR	22

Full name Joseph Allan Mack
Born 12/27/2002 in Williamsville, NY
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Williamsville East
Drafted in the CB-A round (31st overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2021 (signed for $2,500,000).

View Draft Report

Mack's older brother, Charles, was a sixth-round pick of the Twins in 2018 who signed for $500,000 out of high school and has reached Low-A Fort Myers. A Clemson commit like his older brother was, Joe will get drafted higher than Charles did and should be one of the top two catchers off the board along with Harry Ford from Georgia. He has consistently performed at a high offensive level on the major national showcase circuit the last three years, including one of the strongest summers among the top 2021 players last year despite not having a high school season last spring due to the pandemic. This spring, Mack's high school baseball season didn't start until May 14, just days after Mack was playing for the school's volleyball team in the state finals. Through the early weeks of the season, Mack looked like a hitter who was still getting his rhythm and timing back in the batter's box, with more swing and miss than he showed last summer. Given Mack's track record and unusual circumstances, scouts generally haven't seemed concerned. Those highest on Mack see an advanced hitter with good bat speed and a chance to hit for plus power in his prime, though others see more of a hit-first offensive profile with average power. A below-average runner, Mack isn't a polished defender, but he made significant progress behind the plate in 2020, increasing his chances to stick behind the plate. He is quick and a solid athlete for a catcher with an explosive lower half, good hands and plus arm strength to dial in pop times in the 1.9-second range in games. With Mack in first-round consideration, there should be a throng of national-level scouts at the rest of his games through mid June to evaluate him now that he's had more time to get back up to game speed.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.

Track Record: Things did not go well for Mack in his pro career heading into 2024. A supplemental first-round pick out of high school signed for $2.5 million in 2021, Mack struggled in his pro debut, missed much of 2022 with a hamstring injury and followed that with a healthy but poor showing in 2023 at High-A Beloit. Mack broke out in 2024, hitting twice as many home runs (24) as he had in his entire pro career to date. He lit up the Midwest League for 13 games and continued to perform after a promotion to Double-A.

Scouting Report: Mack employs an upright stance at the plate. His swing involves a slight bailout with his front foot to open his hips, which makes him susceptible to soft stuff away. Making contact may always be a weak point in his profile. His 2024 power spike appears real—he was one of the largest year-over-year gainers in exit velocity among all minor league players. Though he has all-fields power, most of his singles and doubles come to his pull side, making him both pitchable and defendable. His pitch identification and plate discipline are roughly average. He’s a below-average runner but decent for a catcher and has a smooth gait. Behind the plate, Mack is tough to run on. He has a tendency to bobble the ball on the transfer, but he’s explosive getting out of his stance, has a fast transfer and plus arm strength. He’s an above-average framer who presents the ball well. His mobility is well above-average, but he will sometimes block at angles that deflect the ball laterally rather than in front of him.

The Future: Mack’s combination of being a lefthanded-hitting catcher with above-average power and defense should get him to the big leagues. There are outcomes where his hit tool limits him to a backup role, but his upper end outcomes look like an everyday catcher akin to Cal Raleigh.

Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 60
BA Grade: 40/High

Track Record: Mack was drafted 31st overall in 2021 after a senior season when he hit .500 with eight home runs. He signed for an over-slot deal worth $2.5 million but has failed to live up to expectations thus far. Through three professional seasons, Mack has had minimal production at the plate. He showed some signs of life in 2023 at High-A Beloit, where he finished with a .218/.295/.287 slash line with 13 doubles, six home runs, and 36 RBIs but a 26.2% strikeout rate hindered his production.

Scouting Report: A defense-first catcher, Mack finally showed at least some prowess with the bat in 2023. He has an ultra-high handset in the box and uses a toe tap as a timing mechanism. Mack has some impact to the pull side, but that’s about it when it comes to the overall offensive profile. He has both below-average bat-to-ball skills and a below-average approach, and struggles mightily to pick up spin. In 2023, Mack had miss rates of 52%, 45%, and 44% against sliders, changeups, and curveballs respectively. One positive is he does fare relatively well against heaters, as evidenced by his 88% in-zone contact rate and 13 extra-base hits against the offering. The best part of Mack’s game is his defense. He receives well and has a plus arm, and in 2023 he threw out an impressive 26% of potential basestealers.

The Future: While Mack could conceivably begin the 2024 campaign with Double-A Pensacola, it makes sense for him to start back in Beloit for his bat to continue to make strides. He has the defensive chops to profile as a backup if he can improve his offensive approach or contact skills.

Scouting Grades Hit: 30 | Power: 40 | Run: 35 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: Mack was Miami's second pick in the 2021 draft, following first-rounder Kahlil Watson. He was also the No. 22 player on BA's annual Top 500 draft rankings, and the Marlins paid him $2.5 million to forgo a commitment to Clemson. His 2022 regular season was limited to just 35 non-rehab games after a hamstring injury that cropped up toward the end of spring training that cropped up again in the regular season. He made up for the lost time during the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Mack profiles as an offensive-minded backup with a strong throwing arm. He hits the ball quite hard--his average exit velocity was 88.2 mph and peaked at 107.6--but needs to shore up his in-zone miss rates a bit. He was a favorite of the Marlins' player-development staff for his ability and desire to learn and immediately process his lessons. Specifically, they wanted to work with him to tweak his approach to help him access his pull-side power more often. Mack is a work in progress defensively and needs to stay more focused from pitch to pitch. His attention sometimes wanders and will lead to clanking catchable balls. He worked from the one-knee setup this year but will likely go back to the traditional crouch in 2023 to allow him to move more fluidly. He's got plus arm strength but caught just 23.2% of runners between the minor leagues and the AFL.

The Future: Mack will likely move to High-A Beloit in 2023, when he'll look to be more consistent in both his receiving and his offensive approach.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 30. Fielding: 40. Arm: 60.
Track Record: The Marlins’ early picks in the 2021 draft represented something of a coup. First, they had shortstop Kahlil Watson, whom BA ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the class, fall into their laps with the 16th pick. Then, in the supplemental round, with pick 31, they landed Mack, the No. 22 player in the class based on his blend of skills on both sides of the ball. He signed for $2.5 million to keep him away from a commitment to Clemson.

Scouting Report: Mack burnished his stock on the summer showcase circuit, which was all the more impressive after his high school season was wiped out by the pandemic. The Marlins loved Mack’s hittability and think it could be unlocked further by becoming more aggressive on pitches he can drive. He has plenty of raw power, too, which was on display at the team’s instructional league program in Miami, where Mack drove a ball into the third deck of the big league stadium. Behind the plate, Mack shows the athleticism that helped him play both basketball and volleyball as a high schooler. He’s got a strong throwing arm as well, which scouts project to be plus as he moves through the system. He’s a below-average runner, which is to be expected for a catcher.

The Future: Mack got his feet wet as a pro in the Florida Complex League, where he walked nearly as often as he struck out. He’ll likely make the jump to full-season ball in 2022 at Low-A Jupiter.

Draft Prospects

Mack's older brother, Charles, was a sixth-round pick of the Twins in 2018 who signed for $500,000 out of high school and has reached Low-A Fort Myers. A Clemson commit like his older brother was, Joe will get drafted higher than Charles did and should be one of the top two catchers off the board along with Harry Ford from Georgia. He has consistently performed at a high offensive level on the major national showcase circuit the last three years, including one of the strongest summers among the top 2021 players last year despite not having a high school season last spring due to the pandemic. This spring, Mack's high school baseball season didn't start until May 14, just days after Mack was playing for the school's volleyball team in the state finals. Through the early weeks of the season, Mack looked like a hitter who was still getting his rhythm and timing back in the batter's box, with more swing and miss than he showed last summer. Given Mack's track record and unusual circumstances, scouts generally haven't seemed concerned. Those highest on Mack see an advanced hitter with good bat speed and a chance to hit for plus power in his prime, though others see more of a hit-first offensive profile with average power. A below-average runner, Mack isn't a polished defender, but he made significant progress behind the plate in 2020, increasing his chances to stick behind the plate. He is quick and a solid athlete for a catcher with an explosive lower half, good hands and plus arm strength to dial in pop times in the 1.9-second range in games. With Mack in first-round consideration, there should be a throng of national-level scouts at the rest of his games through mid June to evaluate him now that he's had more time to get back up to game speed.

Minor League Top Prospects

One of the top offensive performers on the summer showcase circuit throughout his high school years, Mack’s 2021 spring season got off to a late start in Western New York, with Mack going straight from his high school team’s volleyball playoffs to the baseball field. Mack never seemed to quite get his timing right during the spring, and that carried over into his pro debut. Still, there is a lot to like with Mack, who at his best looked like one of the top hitters in the 2021 prep class with a patient approach, good bat speed and a chance for average or better power. Mack will need to quiet his receiving technique and do a better job with his blocking from his one-knee stance, but he has an explosive lower half with at least a plus arm, regularly recording pop times in the 1.9s in games and as low as 1.81 seconds on a caught stealing at second base.

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: Mack was Miami's second pick in the 2021 draft, following first-rounder Kahlil Watson. He was also the No. 22 player on BA's annual Top 500 draft rankings, and the Marlins paid him $2.5 million to forgo a commitment to Clemson. His 2022 regular season was limited to just 35 non-rehab games after a hamstring injury that cropped up toward the end of spring training that cropped up again in the regular season. He made up for the lost time during the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Mack profiles as an offensive-minded backup with a strong throwing arm. He hits the ball quite hard--his average exit velocity was 88.2 mph and peaked at 107.6--but needs to shore up his in-zone miss rates a bit. He was a favorite of the Marlins' player-development staff for his ability and desire to learn and immediately process his lessons. Specifically, they wanted to work with him to tweak his approach to help him access his pull-side power more often. Mack is a work in progress defensively and needs to stay more focused from pitch to pitch. His attention sometimes wanders and will lead to clanking catchable balls. He worked from the one-knee setup this year but will likely go back to the traditional crouch in 2023 to allow him to move more fluidly. He's got plus arm strength but caught just 23.2% of runners between the minor leagues and the AFL.

The Future: Mack will likely move to High-A Beloit in 2023, when he'll look to be more consistent in both his receiving and his offensive approach.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 30. Fielding: 40. Arm: 60.
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: Mack was Miami's second pick in the 2021 draft, following first-rounder Kahlil Watson. He was also the No. 22 player on BA's annual Top 500 draft rankings, and the Marlins paid him $2.5 million to forgo a commitment to Clemson. His 2022 regular season was limited to just 35 non-rehab games after a hamstring injury that cropped up toward the end of spring training that cropped up again in the regular season. He made up for the lost time during the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Mack profiles as an offensive-minded backup with a strong throwing arm. He hits the ball quite hard--his average exit velocity was 88.2 mph and peaked at 107.6--but needs to shore up his in-zone miss rates a bit. He was a favorite of the Marlins' player-development staff for his ability and desire to learn and immediately process his lessons. Specifically, they wanted to work with him to tweak his approach to help him access his pull-side power more often. Mack is a work in progress defensively and needs to stay more focused from pitch to pitch. His attention sometimes wanders and will lead to clanking catchable balls. He worked from the one-knee setup this year but will likely go back to the traditional crouch in 2023 to allow him to move more fluidly. He's got plus arm strength but caught just 23.2% of runners between the minor leagues and the AFL.

The Future: Mack will likely move to High-A Beloit in 2023, when he'll look to be more consistent in both his receiving and his offensive approach.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 30. Fielding: 40. Arm: 60.
BA Grade: 50/Extreme

Track Record: The Marlins&#39 early picks in the 2021 draft represented something of a coup. First, they had shortstop Kahlil Watson, whom BA ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the class, fall into their laps with the 16th pick. Then, in the supplemental round, with pick 31, they landed Mack, the No. 22 player in the class based on his blend of skills on both sides of the ball. He signed for $2.5 million to keep him away from a commitment to Clemson.

Scouting Report: Mack burnished his stock on the summer showcase circuit, which was all the more impressive after his high school season was wiped out by the pandemic. The Marlins loved Mack&#39s hittability and think it could be unlocked further by becoming more aggressive on pitches he can drive. He has plenty of raw power, too, which was on display at the team&#39s instructional league program in Miami, where Mack drove a ball into the third deck of the big league stadium. Behind the plate, Mack shows the athleticism that helped him play both basketball and volleyball as a high schooler. He&#39s got a strong throwing arm as well, which scouts project to be plus as he moves through the system. He&#39s a below-average runner, which is to be expected for a catcher.

The Future: Mack got his feet wet as a pro in the Florida Complex League, where he walked nearly as often as he struck out. He&#39ll likely make the jump to full-season ball in 2022 at Low-A Jupiter.
Track Record: The Marlins’ early picks in the 2021 draft represented something of a coup. First, they had shortstop Kahlil Watson, whom BA ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the class, fall into their laps with the 16th pick. Then, in the supplemental round, with pick 31, they landed Mack, the No. 22 player in the class based on his blend of skills on both sides of the ball. He signed for $2.5 million to keep him away from a commitment to Clemson.

Scouting Report: Mack burnished his stock on the summer showcase circuit, which was all the more impressive after his high school season was wiped out by the pandemic. The Marlins loved Mack’s hittability and think it could be unlocked further by becoming more aggressive on pitches he can drive. He has plenty of raw power, too, which was on display at the team’s instructional league program in Miami, where Mack drove a ball into the third deck of the big league stadium. Behind the plate, Mack shows the athleticism that helped him play both basketball and volleyball as a high schooler. He’s got a strong throwing arm as well, which scouts project to be plus as he moves through the system. He’s a below-average runner, which is to be expected for a catcher.

The Future: Mack got his feet wet as a pro in the Florida Complex League, where he walked nearly as often as he struck out. He’ll likely make the jump to full-season ball in 2022 at Low-A Jupiter.
One of the top offensive performers on the summer showcase circuit throughout his high school years, Mack’s 2021 spring season got off to a late start in Western New York, with Mack going straight from his high school team’s volleyball playoffs to the baseball field. Mack never seemed to quite get his timing right during the spring, and that carried over into his pro debut. Still, there is a lot to like with Mack, who at his best looked like one of the top hitters in the 2021 prep class with a patient approach, good bat speed and a chance for average or better power. Mack will need to quiet his receiving technique and do a better job with his blocking from his one-knee stance, but he has an explosive lower half with at least a plus arm, regularly recording pop times in the 1.9s in games and as low as 1.81 seconds on a caught stealing at second base.
Mack's older brother, Charles, was a sixth-round pick of the Twins in 2018 who signed for $500,000 out of high school and has reached Low-A Fort Myers. A Clemson commit like his older brother was, Joe will get drafted higher than Charles did and should be one of the top two catchers off the board along with Harry Ford from Georgia. He has consistently performed at a high offensive level on the major national showcase circuit the last three years, including one of the strongest summers among the top 2021 players last year despite not having a high school season last spring due to the pandemic. This spring, Mack's high school baseball season didn't start until May 14, just days after Mack was playing for the school's volleyball team in the state finals. Through the early weeks of the season, Mack looked like a hitter who was still getting his rhythm and timing back in the batter's box, with more swing and miss than he showed last summer. Given Mack's track record and unusual circumstances, scouts generally haven't seemed concerned. Those highest on Mack see an advanced hitter with good bat speed and a chance to hit for plus power in his prime, though others see more of a hit-first offensive profile with average power. A below-average runner, Mack isn't a polished defender, but he made significant progress behind the plate in 2020, increasing his chances to stick behind the plate. He is quick and a solid athlete for a catcher with an explosive lower half, good hands and plus arm strength to dial in pop times in the 1.9-second range in games.