Braeden Schlehuber Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Braeden Kenneth Schlehuber
Born 01/07/1988 in Bountiful, UT
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School CC Of Southern Nevada
Drafted in the 4th round (130th overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2008 (signed for $240,000).

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Catcher Braeden Schlehuber outperformed teammate Devin Shepherd this season, slamming five home runs, and showing the athleticism to steal 16 bases as well as solid catch-and-throw skills. He has an average to plus arm but wore down and needs to gain strength to catch every day as a pro. Offensively, Schlehuber gets his barrel on the ball consistently when he hits his pitch, and his hand-eye coordination can actually make him too aggressive. He often expands his strike zone and swings at pitches he can hit, rather than waiting for pitches he can drive. He's an Arkansas recruit, and one coach compared him to A.J. Pierzynski for his ability to get under opponents' skin.

Top Rankings

Tyler Flowers' inclusion in the Javier Vazquez trade left Schlehuber as the best catching prospect in the system. A fourth-round pick last June, he gave up an Arkansas scholarship to sign for $240,000. He has the potential to stand out offensively and defensively. Schlehuber has excellent hand-eye coordination that allows him to center the ball on the barrel of the bat. He has good power that could develop into a plus tool as he adds strength to his 6-foot-3 frame. An aggressive hitter, he needs to hone his strike-zone discipline. He runs extremely well for a catcher, stealing a combined 23 bases between the CC of Southern Nevada and his pro debut in 2008. Schlehuber's athleticism gives him strong receiving and blocking skills. He has an average arm but threw out just 22 percent of basestealers in pro ball, in part because he tired by the end of the summer. He needs to get stronger and improve his game-calling skills. Schlehuber has impressed the Braves so much that they may send him to high Class A to open 2009.