Devin Mesoraco

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #1 prospect in 2012
  It's not often that a Pennsylvania prospect turns into a first-round pick. There have been just four in the last 10 years: Chris Lubanski (2003), Neil Walker (2004), Mesoraco (2007) and Jesse Biddle (2010). Mesoraco was difficult to scout, because he didn't catch much in high school or on the showcase circuit in 2006 because he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. The short Pennsylvania high school season didn't help either, but he was willing to take extra batting practice or go to workouts whenever teams asked. The Reds signed him for $1.4 million as the 15th overall pick, then watched him struggle with hand and finger injuries while batting .240/.311/.368 through his first three years as a pro. Over the last two seasons, Mesoraco has improved his conditioning and blossomed into one of the more productive catchers in the minors. He hit 26 homers in 2010 and ranked as the Triple-A International League's top position prospect in 2011. Called to Cincinnati in September, he hit his first two big league homers and started for much of the final three weeks. Mesoraco is the rare catcher who has the potential to be an above-average hitter with above-average power. He has an uppercut swing with a lot of bat speed, plus the ability to turn on a pitch and park it over the fence. He does a better job of using the whole field then he did early in his career, but his power still comes almost solely to his pull side--not one of his homers in 2011 went to right field. Mesoraco has developed the ability to take a pitch on the outer half and line it up the middle, which allows him to hit for average. His selectiveness enables him to work counts to get pitches he can drive. Like most catchers, he has below-average speed. Behind the plate, Mesoraco is an average receiver. He had problems when he wore down at the end of 2010 and struggles occasionally with velocity. He led IL catchers with 10 errors. He's relatively agile and consistently displays average 2.0-second pop times on throws to second base. He threw out 28 percent of basestealers in 2011, down from 41 percent the year before. Mesoraco's biggest impediment has been a series of nagging injuries. Finger and hand injuries have dogged him, but he's not one to beg out of the lineup. The Reds are thrilled with his makeup. Mesoraco is ready to take over as Cincinnati's everyday catcher and has no obstacles in his path. A potential all-star, Mesoraco will get time to lay claim to a starting job.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #3 prospect in 2011
  When the Reds made Mesoraco the 15th overall pick in the 2007 draft and signed him for $1.4 million, they thought he'd be a power-hitting catcher. They just didn't know it would take this long. After slugging a combined .368 while battling wrist and finger injuries in his first three years as a pro, he broke out in 2010 by batting .302/.377/.587 while climbing from high Class A Lynchburg to Louisville. Mesoraco's swing has some uppercut to it, but he has a good load and hits from a strong base. Add in his bat speed and hand-eye coordination, and he should hit for a solid average to go with his plus power. He's athletic for a catcher and has average speed. Reviews of Mesoraco's performance behind the plate are mixed. He has a strong arm with consistent 1.95-2.0 second pop times, and he threw out 41 percent of basestealers last year. But he struggles at times to handle velocity cleanly, a noticeable problem late last season after he hurt his left index finger. He allowed 10 passed balls in 18 Arizona Fall League games. Mesoraco ranks ahead of 2010 first-rounder Yasmani Grandal both athletically and developmentally. Ticketed for Triple-A this season, Mesoraco could take over in Cincinnati before long if he can stay healthy.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #30 prospect in 2010
  When the Reds drafted Mesoraco 15th overall and signed him for $1.4 million in 2007, they thought they were getting a catcher with a plus bat, defensive potential and excellent athleticism. Three years later, they're still waiting to see him turn his tools into production. His bat speed and athleticism have been less than expected. He battled an injury to his left wrist--his third hand or wrist injury in three pro seasons--but did show improved defense. After throwing out just two of the 23 basestealers who tested him in April, he caught 23 of 50 (46 percent) over the rest of the year. Mesoraco has hit just .240/.311/.368 at the plate, showing a lack of bat speed and discipline. His injuries may partly explain his lack of explosiveness. Not many scouts outside of the organization now see the same tools that made Mesoraco a first-round pick. The Reds don't have to place him on their 40-man roster until after the 2011 season, so they have every reason to be patient.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #10 prospect in 2009
  Mesoraco blew out his elbow pitching as a sophomore in high school, but recovered from Tommy John surgery to become a first-round pick two years later as a catcher. The first backstop drafted in the first round by the Reds since Dan Wilson in 1990, he signed for $1.4 million. Injuries to both his thumbs have nagged him in pro ball, the result of diving head-first into bases. Mesoraco has the tools to be an all-star catcher. He has natural strength and a strong arm, and he's a better runner and athlete than most backstops. Once his thumbs healed, he was Cincinnati's best player in instructional league. The Reds believe his desire to succeed will help him work through the adjustments he has to make. Several scouts said that Mesoraco was one of the more disappointing players in the Midwest League last year. They felt he had gained some bad weight and showed bad body language on the field. He has yet to produce much at the plate and his bat seemed to slow as the season went along, though his thumb injuries contributed. He got too mechanical in his throwing and erased just 17 percent of basestealers. He also has problems blocking balls in the dirt. Mesoraco might benefit from repeating low Class A. He's young enough that it wouldn't put his development behind, and catchers generally have a slower path to the majors anyway.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #6 prospect in 2008
  Limited to DH duty in 2006 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Mesoraco flew up teams' draft boards with an outstanding senior year that culminated in Punxsutawney Area High's first-ever Pennsylvania state title. It's a stretch to call Mesoraco a five-tool player, but he stands out as a catcher who doesn't have a below-average tool. He has the bat speed to hit for average and power. He used his plus-plus arm to throw out 33 percent of basestealers in his pro debut, and he also has soft hands and good footwork. He won't be a stolen-base threat, but he does have average speed. He's a leader on the field. Mesoraco showed a tendency to pull off the ball in his pro debut, when he seemed to press after he got off to a bad start. Despite his struggles, the Reds aren't concerned that it was anything more than a rough introduction to pro ball. Injuries to both thumbs didn't help his cause and limited him to 28 games behind the plate. Cincinnati doesn't plan on rushing Mesoraco, a potential all-star. He'll get every opportunity to earn a spot in low Class A Dayton, but he coud begin the season in extended spring training.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #3 prospect in 2011
  Mesoraco drilled 26 homers while rising from high Class A to Triple-A in 2010. His power numbers weren't as gaudy this year, but the rest of his game continued to improve, especially on the defensive side. Mesoraco has a consistent stroke with some loft, giving him power from left field to the right-center gap. He demonstrates good knowledge of the strike zone and presents no holes for opposing pitchers to exploit. While his speed is below average, he's an intelligent baserunner. He has proven to be a tireless student under the tutelage of Louisville manager Rick Sweet, a former big league catcher. Mesoraco has a quick release and a solid, accurate arm, though he threw out just 26 percent of IL basestealers. He still has some receiving issues that should be ironed out with experience. "He has improved how he calls games and how he handles pitchers," Sweet said. "He kept soaking up everything and getting better. "
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  Ranked Arizona Fall League #9 prospect in 2010
  Mesoraco, 22, finally showed the promise expected of a first-round choice in his fourth pro season, batting .302/.377/.587 at three levels during the 2010 season. While his numbers in Arizona (.242/.250/.455) were only fair, he at times flashed his offensive potential and raw power. Mesoraco's defense drew mixed reviews from scouts, and his deficiencies in catching the ball may have been a result of the fatigue that normally affects AFL catchers at the end of a long season.
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  Ranked Southern League #7 prospect in 2010
  After he hit .240/.311/.368 in his first three pro seasons, a healthier and leaner Mesorcaco emerged in 2010. His stock skyrocketed as he set career highs in every offensive category and showed why the Reds drafted him 15th overall in 2007. Mesoraco's quick bat and uppercut stroke give him solid power. He also covers the plate well and makes consistent contact, so he should hit for average. He's a below-average runner but good for a catcher. Scouts and managers liked the way Mesoraco manages the game from behind the plate. He's a solid receiver who blocks balls in the dirt and shifts well from side to side. He showed off a plus arm by throwing out 41 percent of SL basestealers.
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  Ranked Carolina League #5 prospect in 2010
  After three separate hand and wrist injuries spoiled Mesoraco's first three seasons in pro ball--he batted a combined .240/.311/.368--he looked like a failed first-round pick. When he finally stayed healthy this year, he belted his way to Triple-A and hit .302/.377/.587 between three stops. Generating power to all fields with bat speed and an uppercut swing, he hit 26 homers, second to the Blue Jays' J.P. Arencibia among minor league catchers. Mesoraco still needs to improve his strike-zone judgment, but he has the tools to hit for power and average. He also runs well for a catcher. Mesoraco looked more agile and athletic behind the plate than he had in the past. A solid receiver with a plus arm, he threw out 44 percent of CL basestealers.
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  Ranked Florida Complex League #11 prospect in 2007
  Mesoraco injured his elbow as a high school sophomore in 2005, which led to Tommy John surgery. But he rebounded quickly, regaining his well above-average arm strength and playing his way into getting drafted 14th overall in June. He didn't put up big numbers in his first pro experience, but the Florida heat certainly played a part in his performance as he looked worn out by the end of the summer. Mesoraco has a slightly closed stance and will drop his back shoulder and pull off pitches. Still, he has plus bat speed and slightly above-average power and projects to be a .250-.275 hitter with 20 homers annually. Though he's a below-average runner, he won't clog up the bases. He has good size and strength for a catcher, and the Reds rave about his makeup and leadership ability. Mesoraco went through Game-Calling 101 in the GCL and emerged as an honor student. He also threw out 35 percent of basestealers.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #16 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #64 prospect in 2011

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: It's not often that a Pennsylvania prospect turns into a first-round pick. There have been just four in the last 10 years: Chris Lubanski (2003), Neil Walker (2004), Mesoraco (2007) and Jesse Biddle (2010). Mesoraco was difficult to scout, because he didn't catch much in high school or on the showcase circuit in 2006 because he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. The short Pennsylvania high school season didn't help either, but he was willing to take extra batting practice or go to workouts whenever teams asked. Much like Walker, another catching prospect, Mesoraco got off to a slow start in the minors before putting it together. The Reds signed him for $1.4 million as the 15th overall pick, then watched him struggle with hand and finger injuries while batting .240/.311/.368 through his first three years as a pro. Over the last two seasons, Mesoraco has improved his condition and blossomed into one of the more productive catchers in the minors. He hit 26 homers in 2010 and ranked as the Triple-A International League's top position prospect in 2011. Called to Cincinnati in September, he hit his first two big league homers and started for much of the final three weeks. Scouting Report: Mesoraco is the rare catcher who has the potential to be an above-average hitter with above-average power. He has an uppercut swing with a lot of bat speed, plus the ability to turn on a pitch and park it over the fence. He does a better job of using the whole field then he did early in his career, but his power still comes almost solely to his pull side--not one of his homers in 2011 went to right field. Mesoraco has developed the ability to take a pitch on the outer half and line it up the middle, which allows him to hit for average. His selectiveness enables him to work counts to get pitches he can drive. Like most catchers, he has below-average speed, though he runs the bases with intelligence. Behind the plate, Mesoraco is an average receiver. He had problems when he wore down at the end of 2010 and struggles occasionally with velocity. He led IL catchers with 10 errors. He's relatively agile and consistently displays average 2.0-second pop times on throws to second base. He threw out 28 percent of basestealers in 2011, down from 41 percent the year before. Mesoraco's biggest impediment has been a series of nagging injuries. Finger and hand injuries have dogged him, but he's not one to beg out of the lineup. The Reds have been thrilled with his makeup, one of the reasons they kept promoting him when he struggled early in his career. He responded to his difficulties by just working harder. The Future: Mesoraco is ready to take over as Cincinnati's everyday catcher and has no obstacles in his path. Ramon Hernandez departed as a free agent, and Ryan Hanigan, signed to a modest long-term deal, is better suited as a backup. A potential all-star, Mesoraco will get time to lay claim to a starting job before 2010 first-round pick Yasmani Grandal (ticketed for Triple-A Louisville) is ready. No team has a better pair of catching prospects in the upper levels of the minor leagues.
• August, 2010 Scouting Report
  Mesoraco, 22, finally showed the promise expected of a first-round choice in his fourth pro season, batting .302/.377/.587 at three levels during the 2010 season. While his numbers in Arizona (.242/.250/.455) were only fair, he at times flashed his offensive potential and raw power. Mesoraco's defense drew mixed reviews from scouts, and his deficiencies in catching the ball may have been a result of the fatigue that normally affects AFL catchers at the end of a long season.