Max Pentecost
| AB | 1066 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .277 |
| OBP | .321 |
| SLG | .43 |
| HR | 30 |
- Full name Maxwell Glen Pentecost
- Born 03/10/1993 in Winder, GA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Kennesaw State
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Drafted in the 1st round (11th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014 (signed for $2,888,300).
View Draft Report
The Rangers drafted Pentecost as a seventh-rounder in 2011 but couldn't sign him away from Kennesaw State, due in part to a broken bone in his elbow joint that hampered him in high school. Pentecost's athleticism stood out then and still does after catching for most of the last three seasons. Scouts consider him an above-average runner period, fairly exceptional for a catcher, and his 6-foot-1, 190-pound body could use more strength to hold up under the rigors of catching 100-plus games. The body and his speed earn him Jason Kendall comparisons. He's an average receiver with average arm strength with inconsistent throwing mechanics and profiles as an offensive catcher. After two solid seasons as an everyday player, Pentecost took things up a notch last summer, earning Cape Cod League MVP honors by hitting .346/.424/.538. In 2014, he ranked among the national top 10 in batting and hits as the calendar turned to May, and scouts like his line-drive swing, which has improved over the course of his college career. Most scouts see him as a below-average power producer but some see enough feel for hitting for Pentecost to reach 12-15 homers eventually.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Pentecost was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2014 draft, but since then he has three shoulder surgeries (on both shoulders), which is why he was still in high Class A Dunedin last year as a 24-year-old. Working with the organization's high performance staff, Pentecost mixed time at catcher, first base and DH, never catching on back-to-back days. Pentecost caught just 19 games in Dunedin and another nine in the Arizona Fall League, but he showed a plus arm and looked advanced defensively. He threw out 7-of-15 basestealers (47 percent) and looked athletic behind the plate with good blocking, receiving and framing skills. Pentecost has a pull-heavy approach with above-average bat speed, solid bat-to-ball skills and average raw power. His bat would play well behind the plate, though with his durability in question, he could play more of a hybrid role, moving between catcher, first base and possibly the outfield. The Blue Jays left Pentecost off the 40-man roster off the season but he didn't get picked in the Rule 5 draft. He's ticketed for Double-A New Hampshire in 2018. -
Pentecost got back on the field in 2016, and the Blue Jays will take what they can get from the second of their two first-round picks in 2014 (11th overall). He went 3-for-4 with a home run in his season debut in May with low Class A Lansing, his first game since 2014. Pentecost, who didn't sign as a seventh-round pick by the Rangers out of high school in 2011 due to an elbow issue, has had at least two labrum surgeries since signing for $2,888,300. That caused him to miss all of '15 and limited him to DH duty only in 2016. Pentecost knocked off the rust offensively, showing excellent power and solid contact ability in his righthanded swing. He's still short to the ball with his swing, can use the whole field and has shown power the opposite way. He's a fringe-average runner and solid athlete who should be able to handle a move to first base or left field. However, the Blue Jays intend to try him back behind the plate in 2017. If he can handle catching, Pentecost could re-emerge as an elite two-way talent, but he has work to do to show he can be an everyday catcher. -
The best player in Kennesaw State's Division I history, Pentecost was an unsigned seventh-rounder out of high school who didn't sign with the Rangers in part due to concerns about his elbow. The 2013 MVP of the Cape Cod League powered the Owls to their first regional title in 2014 en route to becoming the highest-drafted player in school history. Since signing for slot at $2,888,300, Pentecost has played just 25 games, including none in 2015, while recovering from two shoulder surgeries. When healthy, Pentecost showed a tantalizing combination of athleticism and hitting ability for a catcher. He has a sustained track record for hitting thanks to a quick, short swing that he repeats well with modest effort. He has flashed plus raw power in the past, though club officials see him as a hit-first, power-second player. His first surgery repaired a partial tear in his right labrum; the second corrected problems from the first procedure. He's still rebuilding arm strength from the surgeries, and a return to his previous plus arm strength will take patience and hard work. He'll need plenty of reps to hone his receiving and blocking skills while working with pro pitchers. Pentecost runs well enough to move to the outfield long-term if he can't catch, and the Jays have indicated he will paly some first base and DH in 2016 to get needed at-bats. His health and spring-training performance will decide his assignment, but the Jays hold out hope he can still become a first-division catcher. -
Pentecost went unsigned as a Rangers seventh-round pick out of high school partly due to a stress fracture to his right elbow. He was a top performer in college, where he won the MVP of the Cape Cod League and led Kennesaw State to its first Super Regionals appearance. Pentecost is a premium athlete for a catcher. He was a top performer in college and finished second in the NCAA in batting average this spring (.422/.482/.627). Pentecost has an easy, quick and short stroke conducive to line drives to all fields. He flashes above-average raw power to his pull side but his swing path is geared more toward line drives to the gaps. He projects to hit for 12-15 home runs annually with high doubles production. Pentecost is a plus runner at present. He has instincts on the bases and was never caught stealing in 25 tries during his college career. Pentecost has a plus arm, albeit a sometimes inaccurate one, with a quick release and his receiving improved significantly, giving him the potential to be at least an average defender. His debut was truncated because of nagging injuries, and Pentecost had surgery in October to repair a partial tear in his right labrum, but he is expected to be ready for the start of the season and will likely begin at Lansing or Dunedin.
Draft Prospects
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The Rangers drafted Pentecost as a seventh-rounder in 2011 but couldn't sign him away from Kennesaw State, due in part to a broken bone in his elbow joint that hampered him in high school. Pentecost's athleticism stood out then and still does after catching for most of the last three seasons. Scouts consider him an above-average runner period, fairly exceptional for a catcher, and his 6-foot-1, 190-pound body could use more strength to hold up under the rigors of catching 100-plus games. The body and his speed earn him Jason Kendall comparisons. He's an average receiver with average arm strength with inconsistent throwing mechanics and profiles as an offensive catcher. After two solid seasons as an everyday player, Pentecost took things up a notch last summer, earning Cape Cod League MVP honors by hitting .346/.424/.538. In 2014, he ranked among the national top 10 in batting and hits as the calendar turned to May, and scouts like his line-drive swing, which has improved over the course of his college career. Most scouts see him as a below-average power producer but some see enough feel for hitting for Pentecost to reach 12-15 homers eventually.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Old for the league, Pentecost is making up for time lost to three shoulder surgeries since 2014 (on both shoulders) that have hampered his ability to stay behind the plate. He caught his first games as a pro in 2017, however, and even though he didn't play after Aug. 7 due to an undisclosed injury, he was named a postseason all-star. When he did catch (never in back-to-back games), Pentecost impressed scouts with his athleticism and plus arm strength, which has bounced back nicely. He showed little rust as a receiver, handling velocity and blocking well. Offensively, Pentecost remains aggressive, has plate coverage to shoot line drives to the gaps, and the bat speed to catch up to good fastballs, giving him plus power potential. His future rests with his health. He's yet to catch back-to-back games as a pro and may wind up more of a hybrid in the Evan Gattis mold, catching while also getting time in left field and first base to keep his bat in the lineup and protect his shoulder. -
Pentecost has a track record for hitting from his college days, both in the Cape Cod League and at Kennesaw State. He led Kennesaw to an NCAA super regional then signed for $2,888,300 as the second of the Blue Jays' two first-round picks in June. Pentecost's pro debut was interrupted by a nagging wrist injury that limited him to just six games at catcher and 19 overall before he was shut down in early August. NWL managers who saw Pentecost knew his reputation from their amateur scouting departments and were impressed by his athleticism. Some project him as a prototype catch-and-throw receiver, with his offensive development being a bonus. Pentecost showed some skill with the bat in limited time, though his power didn't show up and he swung and missed more against advanced pitching. Managers agreed that a healthy Pentecost could move quickly.
