The first round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft gets
underway Sunday in Los Angeles and runs through Tuesday. In the days
leading up to the draft, MaxPreps will look at high school players who
could be selected in the first few rounds at each position.
We've already looked at the top five
left-handed and
right-handed pitchers. Today, we zero in on the backstops, looking at the top five high school catchers.
Photo: Dorie Anderson
Malcolm Moore is regarded as California's top overall prospect by some.
Photo: Dorie Anderson
Catchers don't appear to be a high priority in this year's MLB draft with only two college catchers showing up on mock drafts and no high school catchers appearing until the second or third rounds. Moore figures to be the top catcher chosen. With the best combination of hitting ability (he batted .500 with 13 home runs) and defensive ability, Moore could go late in the second round or early in the third. He's rated as the top player in California by Perfect Game.
2. Ike Irish, St. Mary's Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)
He's big and athletic with a very strong arm. A model of consistency in high school with MaxPreps National Champion, Irish had 161 plate appearances, 53 hits and 11 home runs as a junior and 160 plate appearances, 52 hits and 10 home runs as a senior. May have best throwing arm among high school catchers, which could allow him to stay behind the plate. Likely a third-round pick.
3. Brady Neal, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
One of the youngest players available in this year's draft, Neal reclassified from the Class of 2023 prior to the start of the season. Perhaps the top defensive catcher in the prep ranks, Neal is also very athletic. Power is improving with three home runs as a senior. Mock drafts have Neal coming off the board early in the third round.
4. Brooks Brannon, Randleman (N.C.)
He's moved up the draft boards about as fast as the baseball leaves the field on one of his home runs. Not among the top catchers in the class early in the season, Brannon now figures to go somewhere at the end of the third round or early in the fourth. He led the nation in home runs with 20 so the power stroke is there. May not have the arm to stay at catcher and could later end up at first base.
5. Adonys Guzman, Brunswick School (Greenwich, Conn.)
Considered the top defensive catcher in the draft with a strong arm, Guzman could come off the board in the fourth or fifth round. Played a shortened season at Brunswick where he batted .382 with seven doubles and two home runs.
