40 Players Who Stood Out At The NTDP For 2025, 2026 Classes

Dean Moss, OF, California

Moss was the star of the NTDP. Ranked No. 7 in the 2025 class, Moss had a huge summer while playing up a level against 2024s for the 17U Canes National Team, and he showed his offensive polish at the NTDP. Moss delivered five hits and two walks in 10 plate appearances, including a home run in a left-on-left matchup. He also doubled twice, once off a 93 mph fastball from righthander Seth Hernandez (the top pitcher in the class) and another off a lefty when he flicked his hands at a fastball on the outside corner to shoot a line drive into the left field corner. At 6 feet, 175 pounds, Moss isn’t a physically imposing slugger, but he’s able to generate outstanding bat speed that enables him to generate some of the better power in the class. More than just his power, Moss is a mature hitter, keeping his head locked in to help him recognize pitches early. He seldom expands the strike zone, makes frequent contact and uses the whole field, allowing him to both get on base at a high clip and hit for power. While Moss’ ability in the batter’s box has long been his calling card, he also impressed defensively in center field. With solid-average speed, Moss might still ultimately end up in a corner, but he showed good instincts and ran an efficient route on a diving catch in the right-center field gap. He’s a California native at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. and committed to Vanderbilt.

Joey Oakie, RHP, Iowa

At an event comprised almost entirely of 2025 and 2026 players, Oakie was a priority player for scouts to see as the No. 14 player in the 2024 high school class. Iowa plays high school baseball in the summer, so Oakie missed the PDP League at the end of June, with the NTDP his first outing of the summer circuit. The stuff Oakie showed was impressive. He’s 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, on the younger side of the class having turned 17 in May, and pitched off a 91-95 mph fastball that generated outstanding arm-side run from his low three-quarter slot. Oakie backed up his fastball with an 83-86 mph slider that had power and sharp sweep across the zone to miss bats against both righties and lefties. He flashed a firm changeup as well, but he mostly operated off his fastball/slider combination. Oakie did struggle with his control—he struck out five in 2.2 innings, but he also walked four, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits—but he has the potential for at least two plus pitches with one of the best fastball/slider combinations in the class. He’s an Iowa commit.

From Saturday, first look of the summer at 2024 Iowa HS RHP Joey Oakie, No. 14 player in the class.

6-3, 195 lbs, FB up to 95 mph with a ton of life, 83-86 mph slider with sharp bite to miss bats. pic.twitter.com/cSzIfshQzB

— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) August 1, 2023

Ethan Holliday, SS, Oklahoma

Holliday does everything with ease in the batter’s box. The brother of the No. 1 prospect in baseball (Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday) and the son of former perennial all-star outfielder Matt Holliday, Ethan is the No. 1 player in the 2025 class. He’s 6-foot-4, 190 pounds and is able to process pitches quickly, discerning balls from strikes with good strike-zone discipline to be a high on-base threat. Holliday has good power for his age and should have at least plus raw power in his prime, but in games he doesn’t try to sell out for power either, staying through the ball well to use left-center field, something he showed when he drilled a changeup for a single into the left-center field gap. Holliday is already big for a shortstop and looks like he might ultimately end up at third base or possibly a corner outfield spot, with a potential middle-of-the-order bat that could profile anywhere on the field. He’s an Oklahoma State commit.

Brady Ebel, SS, California

Ebel is young for the class (he won’t turn 18 until after the 2025 draft) but his maturity and polish at the plate for his age stand out, no surprise as the son of Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel. The No. 2 player in the class, Ebel is 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with a compact lefthanded swing, setting up close to the plate (he was hit by a pitch twice) with a tight barrel turn and good strike-zone judgment. That helps him draw walks, make frequent contact and flash occasional power now with what should be significantly more coming given his physical projection. He’s big for a shortstop and could end up outgrowing the position to fit at third base, but he defended his position well at the NTDP, turning three double plays with good actions and a strong arm. He also made a nice play at third base ranging into the 6-5 hole with an efficient angle to the ball. He’s uncommitted for college.

Sean Gamble, OF/SS, Iowa

An Iowa native at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Gamble is the No. 3 player in the 2025 class. He’s 6-foot-1, 185 pounds with an aggressive lefthanded swing, generating outstanding bat speed and big power for his age. Gamble went 2-for-8, drew three walks and slammed a pair of extra-base hits, one a triple into the left-center field gap in a left-on-left matchup, another a ground-rule double to deep center field that would have been another triple had it stayed in play. Gamble is a plus runner as well, making him a potential power/speed threat with time both in the infield and outfield. He’s uncommitted for college.

Seth Hernandez, RHP, California

The top pitcher in the 2024 class and No. 4 player overall, Hernandez showed all the components of why he’s so highly regarded. The Vanderbilt commit struck out four of the 11 batters he faced over three innings, walking two with one hit and two runs allowed. He pitched off a fastball that ranged from 90-93 mph here and has reached 96 mph previously, with more velocity coming as he fills out his projectable 6-foot-4, 190-pound build. His go-to secondary pitch is a changeup he threw at 76-79 mph with promising sink and fade to produce whiffs. Hernandez threw just three curveballs among his 51 pitches, but it has tight rotation and sharp action to give him another offspeed offering that can miss bats.

Coy James, SS, North Carolina

James is one of the best pure hitters in the 2025 class, with a mix of both contact and impact. Ranked No. 6 in the country, James is 6 feet, 180 pounds with an aggressive approach and a high-contact bat from a compact righthanded swing. The ball flies off his barrel with impressive carry in batting practice, with several landing over the fence to his pull side, and it translated into games as well. James went 5-for-11, including a triple to right field on a 94 mph fastball. James’ offensive game stands out the most, but he played steady defense at shortstop as well, turning a pair of clean double plays. James is committed to Mississippi.

Lucas Franco, SS, Texas

The No. 5 player in the 2025 class, Franco went 4-for-8 with two walks, one strikeout, a triple, a double and what would should have been another double on a ball smoked down the right field line that landed just fair but was called a foul ball. A TCU commit, Franco has grown to 6-foot-3, 170 pounds, with a long, lean frame with lots of strength projection remaining. He has a smooth lefthanded swing that’s compact with good path through the hitting zone. With his selective approach, he seldom swings at bad pitches and has an accurate barrel to make consistent contact when he does swing. He doubled on a breaking ball that he lined into the right field corner and smashed a triple to center field off a fastball from a lefty. More of those doubles should eventually turn into home runs as Franco continues to layer on more strength in the coming years. He also showed soft hands and fluid actions in the infield.

Mason Pike, SS/RHP, Washington

Pike will be one of the big risers in our next 2025 rankings update. He stood out offensively, defensively and on the mound. At 6 feet, 190 pounds, the Oregon State commit is a switch-hitter who went 3-for-9 with two walks and two strikeouts. He has a short swing, good bat-to-ball skills and controls the strike zone well for his age, barreling a 94 mph fastball for one of his hits.

In the field, Pike had several highlight plays, showing smooth actions, quick footwork and a strong arm. On a groundball up the middle, the pitcher stuck out his glove and the ball ricocheted toward the dirt halfway between second and first base. Pike raced over from shortstop, changing directions on the play to barehand the ball and get rid of it quickly for what should have been called an out at first, though the umpire called him safe. He made another good play at shortstop ranging toward third base on a ground ball, another at third base where he had to charge the ball and made a good throw on the run to get the out at first. He had another good defensive attempt at second base where he charged a slow roller and made a glove flip throw to first base but couldn’t get the speedy runner in Cannon Goldin going down the line.

It was a week of extreme heat at the NTDP, with several players leaving one game due to cramping. In another game with brutal heat and humidity, Pike came on to pitch the final inning, one frame after the previous pitcher exited after vomiting behind the mound. Even after playing the whole game in the field, Pike seemed unfazed by the conditions, running his fastball up to 94 mph in a quick, impressive look. He pitched a 1-2-3 inning, showing an athletic delivery and feel for a low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup with good tailing life. He threw another one-inning stint earlier in the week as well where he faced three hitters in quick, 10-pitch look where he also touched 94 mph.

Kayson Cunningham, SS, Texas

Cunningham, the No. 14 player in the 2025 class, is one of the premier pure hitters in the country and showed it at the NTDP, where he went 5-for-10 with a double into the opposite-field gap. At 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, Cunningham isn’t as tall as some of the other highest ranked players in the class, but there are few hitters his age who can match his ability to consistently barrel balls in games. He has a compact, adjustable swing from the left side, deftly manipulating the bat head for excellent plate coverage. He has one of the highest contact rates in the class, smacking line drives to all fields with gap power. Cunningham is a disciplined hitter, too, so he draws plenty of walks, profiling as a high on-base table setter at the top of the lineup with plus speed. Cunningham has good defensive actions and projects to play somewhere in the middle infield, where he has good hands and a strong arm. He’s a Texas Tech commit.

Billy Carlson, SS/RHP, California

Carlson has some of the sweetest infield actions in the 2025 class. Everything is quick, crisp and fluid for Carlson at shortstop, where he’s a lively, graceful defender with a plus arm, a quick release and smooth on both ends of the double play turn. At 6 feet, 165 pounds, Carlson has a lean, athletic frame with more room to add strength. Right now he’s mostly a line drive-oriented hitter with occasional doubles pop, making a lot of contact and usually staying within the strike zone. He was consistently on base throughout the NTDP, going 3-for-5 with three walks, with his hardest contact coming on a fly out to deep center field. A Vanderbilt commit, Carlson also could have a future on the mound. He pitched one scoreless inning at the NTDP, walking the first hitter before striking out two of the next three. He’s an athletic strike thrower who has been up to 93 mph, touching 91 at the NTDP with feel for both a 75-80 mph breaking ball and 83-84 mph changeup.

Cannon Goldin, OF, Georgia

Goldin is a Mississippi commit ranked No. 9 in the 2025 class thanks to his mix of hitting ability, speed and athleticism at a premium position. He’s 6 feet, 180 pounds, a quick-burst athlete who consistently puts together quality at-bats. Goldin is a lefty with a short, quick swing, squaring both fastballs and offspeed stuff with a good sense of the strike zone to get on base at a high rate with gap power. His plus speed is another weapon, something he showed beating out an infield single in 4.16 seconds. That speed, along with his defensive instincts and strong arm, plays well in center field.

Vaughn Neckar, RHP, California

The No. 15 player in the country, Neckar is a righthander and third baseman, with his future looking brightest on the mound. He has a strong, physically mature frame for 16 at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and has a power arm to match. pitching at 89-94 mph. Neckar struck out two in two innings, though he did run into some control troubles (often up and arm side) with three walks, so he operated heavily off his fastball, throwing it on 35 of his 40 pitches. The other five pitches were curveballs that he showed feel to spin in the 2,300-2,500 rpm range and had power at 78-80 mph. Neckar is an LSU commit.

Angel Cervantes, RHP, California

Cervantes has been a pitcher on the rise this year, ranking No. 28 in the 2025 class. He’s young for a 2025 prospect, only turning 16 later this month, but his stuff stacks up among the best in the country, with a starter look between his stuff and sound delivery. He’s 6-foot-2, 185 pounds and filled the strike zone with a fastball that ranged from 88-92 mph at the NTDP and has touched a tick higher in other outings. The UCLA commit showed feel to spin a both a curveball and slider at 2,400-2,600 rpm, using one curveball for a swinging strikeout, as well as a deceptive changeup that had good separation off his fastball.

Jack McKernan, LHP, Texas

McKernan had one of the most dominant performances of any pitcher at the NTDP, where he struck out seven of the 12 batters he faced with one walk in three innings. The Texas commit is 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and threw strikes with an 89-92 mph fastball. McKernan’s most effective pitch was his slider, which he was able to land for called strikes or use as a chase pitch, with hitters whiffing through it on four of the five times they swung at his slider. McKernan’s slider doesn’t have especially high spin rates (2,100-2,400), but it has late, sharp bite to dive underneath bats. He had trouble landing his changeup in the zone, but he showed feel for that pitch with tumbling action in the low 80s.

Sam Cozart, RHP, North Carolina

A Mississippi State commit, Cozart has long stood out from his peers for his size at a massive 6-foot-7, 235 pounds. Cozart didn’t have his best fastball here, sitting at 87-90 mph, but he still managed to breeze through his outing, striking out six of the nine batters he faced in three perfect innings. Cozart mixed in an occasional slider at 76-78 mph, but he mostly rolled through hitters with a lot of swing-and-miss on his fastball.

Evan Hankins, 1B/LHP, Virginia

Hankins has some of the best raw power in the 2025 class, not surprising given his 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame. He has the strength, bat speed and leverage in his swing to produce deep pull power in batting practice and he performed well in games, too, going 3-for-8 with three walks, two strikeouts and a double off a 94 mph fastball that he drove over the center fielder’s head. At first base, Hankins defended his position well. He ranged well to his right to dive into the 4-3 hole on a ground ball to steal a hit, then on another occasion picked a ball in the dirt to finish a double play. Hankins is primarily a position player, but he also pitched and showed promise on the mound, striking out three of the seven batters he faced with no walks or runs allowed. He pitched in the mid-to-upper 80s and up to 88 mph (he has been into the low 90s in other outings) and used his 75-79 mph slider effectively, throwing it nine times and getting three swinging strikes on four swings against the pitch. Hankins is the No. 35 player in the class and a Tennessee commit.

Xavier Neyens, 3B/OF/RHP, Washington

Neyens is 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, a strong, physical slugger with a lefthanded swing that’s geared to lift the ball. The No. 17 player in the 2025 class, Neyens showed big power in BP, and while that power comes with some swing and miss against live pitching, he hit well in games. He blasted a triple into the left-center field gap and lined a pair of singles to center field off two different lefties. Neyens showed a strong arm from third base and showed promise on the mound as well in an outing in which he struck out one with no walks in two scoreless innings, pitching at 88-92 mph and showing feel for an 83-84 mph slider. He’s an Oregon State commit.

Aiden Barrientes, RHP, Texas

Barrientes turned 16 right after the NTDP, so he’s one of the younger players in the 2025 class and one of the more promising arms for his year. The TCU commit struck out two with one walk and one hit allowed in two scoreless innings, pitching off an 88-91 mph fastball that should spike in the coming years once he adds more strength to his 6-foot-1, 185-pound build. Barrientes threw strikes with his fastball and showed feel to snap off a 75-79 mph curveball that can spin above 2,800 rpm at times with good shape and depth to miss bats at its best.

Jack Bauer, LHP, Illinois

Bauer has a fluid, easy delivery and lots of space to fill out his projectable 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. He touched 92 mph at the NTDP and should have mid-90s or better velocity once he packs on more weight. A Virginia commit, Bauer showed feel for a slider from his low three-quarter slot at 2,700-2,900 rpm, using it for four of his six strikeouts over three innings. Bauer sprinkled in a handful of changeups, but his fastball and breaking ball were his primary pitches. Bauer did walk three and will need to tighten his control, but his delivery should be conducive to throwing strikes long term.

Zach Strickland, RHP, California

Strickland has a smooth, repeatable delivery that he used to throw strikes with 24 of 35 pitches (69%) over two innings. The UCLA commit and No. 37 player in the 2025 class attacked hitters up in the zone with a fastball that ranged from 87-92 mph and has been up to 94 in other outings. Strickland mixed in a 69-71 mph curveball with spin in the 2,400-2,600 rpm range and flashed some feel for a changeup at 83-85 mph.

Diego Velazquez, SS, California

Velazquez has a promising mix of size, bat speed and youth as one of the younger players in the 2025 class. The No. 38 player for 2025, Velazquez is 6-foot-2, 180 pounds and turns 16 later this month, so he will still be 17 on draft day. He’s a lefthanded hitter who can whip the barrel through the zone with some of the better bat speed in the class, giving him a chance to develop into a power-hitting infielder once he’s able to add more strength and consistently incorporate his lower half into his swing. The Southern California commit flashed some of that power at the NTDP when he stayed back on a curveball on the outer third, driving it the other way over the left fielder’s head for a double.

Omar Serna, C, Texas

Serna is big and strong at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds with a pair of tools that stack up among the best in the 2025 class. The LSU commit has perhaps the best raw arm strength among any 2025 catcher, grading out plus with a chance to be a 70 on the 20-80 scale. Serna’s strength and bat speed help him generate big raw power for his age as well. Serna didn’t show that power in games, but he consistently hit the ball and got on base, going 5-for-7 with five singles, a walk and a strikeout.

Landon Schaefer, SS, Arkansas

Schaefer has played up at the 17U level with 2024s for a significant part of the summer with the 3n2 Sticks/White Sox Scout team. His 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame stands out right away, and he showed the ability to drive the ball out of the park when he got his arms extended on a 90 mph fastball on the outer third that he pulled for a home run to left-center field. He’s an Arkansas commit.

Wade Shelley, OF, Alabama

Shelley raised his stock this summer with a strong season both offensively and defensively. He’s an athletic center fielder (6 feet, 190 pounds) who had multiple defensive highlights. Shelley took a clean, efficient route and showed good range running down a fly ball over his head and to his right at the warning track for an out. Then on a groundball single up the middle with a runner on second, Shelley showed off his arm, erasing the runner trying to score at home with a strong, accurate throw for the assist. At the plate, Shelley has a simple swing from the right side and picked up a pair of hits, including a line-drive single to right field against a 90 mph fastball. He’s an Auburn commit.

Luke Billings, OF/C/RHP

Billings is an intriguing player both as a hitter and a pitcher. He pitched twice, so he didn’t get as many plate appearances as some of the other top hitters at the event, but he has hit well throughout the summer and showed the strength in his righthanded swing to be able to drive the ball out of the park to his pull side. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Billings made a pair of scoreless one-inning appearances on the mound, touching 93 mph and mixing in four pitches with a low-80s slider, mid-70s curveball and a firm changeup in the upper 80s. He’s a Tennessee commit.

Myles Upchurch, RHP, Maryland

At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Upchurch has a strong pitcher’s build and a power arm for his age. He has been up to 93 mph this summer, pitching at 87-91 mph during the NTDP. Upchurch threw a 79-83 mph slider with short break that he was able to land for strikes. His slider generated a couple of swings and misses, including one for a strikeout, and rounded out his repertoire with a low-80s changeup. He’s uncommitted for college.

Zion Theophilus, RHP, Ohio

Pitching from the stretch only, Theophilus is a high-intensity pitcher with an aggressive, up-tempo delivery and a power arm for his age. He pitched off a fastball at 90-93 mph and backed it up with a low-80s slider that has two-plane depth when it’s at its best. Theophilus is an LSU commit.

Griffin Enis, OF, Mississippi

Enis helped himself with a strong summer at the plate that continued at the NTDP, where he went 5-for-10 with a pair of extra-base hits. A 6-foot, 185-pound righthanded hitter, Enis hit a fastball for an opposite-field double into the right-center field gap, then pulled a fastball for a triple to left-center field. He’s committed to Mississippi.

Caden Crowell, LHP, Indiana

Crowell struck out three of the nine batters he faced over two scoreless innings using mostly his fastball. He’s 6-foot-3, 190 pounds with more projection to add to a fastball that reached 91 mph. Crowell, who’s uncommitted for college, threw his fastball for 33 of his 39 pitches, mixing in a half dozen sliders that he showed some feel for with a couple of empty swings against righthanded hitters. Crowell has shown feel for a changeup as well, though he didn’t throw one in this look.

William Hill, OF, Texas

A Texas commit, Hill is an athletic center fielder at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds with plus speed. A righthanded hitter with a line-drive stroke and gap power, Hill lined a single to center field and had his hardest contact of the NTDP on a triple that he pulled into the left-center field gap.

Brody Walls, RHP, Texas

Walls spent time as an infielder and pitcher, showing the most promise on the mound as he threw two scoreless innings. At 6 feet, 180 pounds, Walls has a medium build with the ability to generate a fastball that touched 91 mph from a loose, low-effort delivery with easy arm action. Walls mixed in a short slider with spin at 2,400-2,600 rpm and threw one changeup that had solid sink. He’s committed to Texas.

2026 CLASS

Rookie Shepard, SS/C, Nevada

Shepard does everything smooth and easy both at the plate and in the infield. He’s 5-foot-11, 175 pounds with a simple lefthanded swing. It’s a short, efficient and adjustable swing that enables him to square up all types of pitches throughout the strike zone with some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the 2026 class. His defensive actions are polished for his age, too, moving his feet well in the infield with soft hands and a good internal clock. Shepard also spent time behind the plate, where his aptitude for the game would translate well, though for now he’s a more advanced defender at shortstop. Shepard is a Miami commit.

Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP/1B, Oregon

With Giants first-round pick Bryce Eldridge, we had a 6-foot-7 two-way player with a power arm on the mound and a power bat at first base in the 2023 draft. It will only be a few more years until we have another one in Schoolcraft. While Eldridge is a righthanded pitcher, Schoolcraft is a lefty at 6-foot-7, 205 pounds with a fastball that was up to 92 mph at the NTDP and should be in the mid 90s or better come draft time. Schoolcraft has a slider, though he didn’t throw it here, attacking hitters with his fastball, sinker, changeup and splitter with late tumble that he used for a swinging strikeout. For such a long-limbed hitter, Schoolcraft’s swing works well and he has some of the best raw power in the 2026 class, making him a premium player to follow on both sides of the ball. He’s uncommitted for college.

Quentin Young, 3B, California

At 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Young is an extremely strong, physical player for a 2026 player. He’s an aggressive righthanded hitter who tips his barrel toward the pitcher before generating a lot of torque with his swing to punish baseballs with some of the best raw power in the class. Young went 3-for-8 with a walk at the NTDP, hitting a 92 mph fastball for an opposite-field double over the right fielder’s head, driving another fastball for a double to the right-center field gap and pulling a curveball for a single. He’s uncommitted for college.

Jacob Lombard, SS, Florida

Scouts poured into Gulliver Prep games in Miami this year to track shortstop George Lombard Jr., who the Yankees drafted in the first round. While watching Lombard Jr., they were able to see his younger brother, Jacob, one of the most talented players in the 2026 class. He’s 6-foot-2, 185 pounds with good plate discipline and contact skills from the right side of the plate with gap power. He’s an athletic shortstop who made a terrific defensive play at second base, running back on a pop up to shallow right field and leaping with his left arm outstretched to make the catch with his back to the plate. He’s uncommitted for college.

Brady Murrietta, C, California

Pitchers love throwing to Murrietta, a soft, quiet receiver who already frames pitches well and has a strong arm, something he showed on a pair of caught stealings with pop times of 1.88 and 1.87 seconds. A 5-foot-11, 190-pound righthanded hitter, Murrietta also performed well offensively, going 5-for-10, looking like one of the top catchers in the 2026 class. He’s a Texas commit.

Andrew Costello, C, Pennsylvania

Costello is one of the best catchers in the 2026 class. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound righthanded hitter has huge raw power for his age, something he showed during one round of BP when he took four swings and blasted three balls over the fence. He’s been able to tap into that power in games, too, thanks to his ability to recognize pitches and quick, compact swing. A Wake Forest commit, Costello’s catch-and-throw skills are advanced for his age, something he showed with a 1.83-second pop time on a throw that beat the runner to the bag, though the second baseman couldn’t get the tag down in time.

Chandler Hart, LHP, Texas

Hart stands out immediately for his size at 6-foot-6, 200 pounds and arm strength with a fastball that touched 90 mph from his low three-quarter slot at the NTDP. He showed feel for a 75-79 mph slider with spin at 2,300-2,500 rpm, sweeping away from lefties to get swing-and-miss when it was at its best. Hart flashed a couple of changeups at 82-83 mph as well, but he leaned mostly on his fastball and slider, looking like one of the top pitchers to follow in the 2026 class. He’s uncommitted for college.

Dillon Moss, C, California

Moss is the younger brother of Dean Moss, who was also at the NTDP and is one of the elite players in the 2025 class. At 6 feet, 165 pounds, Moss is a Stanford commit also at IMG Academy in Florida and an intriguing prospect in his own right. Facing righthander Joey Oakie, one of the top pitchers in the 2024 class, the righthanded-hitting Moss got a 92 mph fastball on the outer third that he drilled for a triple to center field. He recorded another extra-base hit when he pulled a slider to left field for a double. He shows the tools to be able to stick behind the plate as well, with a strong arm for his age.