Frame:
Grandal has a large, lean, muscular frame. Close to filled-out, he moves reasonably well for his size and should not have to worry about a position switch due to further growth. He also shows solid flexibility and athleticism.
Swing:
Grandal sets-up and loads well, with his hands high and in good position to strike the quadrants. He gets good extension, though it comes a little early at times and with a longish swing. Though the Miami backstop shows big raw power both pre- and in-game, he can struggle with pitch-ID, showing some trouble with off-speed stuff and getting well out in front. He has a good understanding of the strike zone but has pressed a little this summer, uncharacteristically expanding the zone and failing to make consistent contact.
Defense:
Grandal moves well behind the plate and is an adequate receiver. He shows solid footwork but could stand to clean-up his catch-and-throw skills a bit, gunning down just over 20% of would-be-basestealers last spring. With average arm strength and accuracy a tick below, I have his pop times hovering around 2.12. Like most amateur catchers, he'll need to improve on his game calling as a pro.
Nick's Notes:
There is big time upside in Grandal's bat, though he'll need to tighten his swing some and improve his pitch-ID to fully tap into his power. His bat speed, as well as his struggles with wood this summer, could cause him to slip down some boards, despite his leading the Hurricanes last year with 16 homeruns. Though some of the luster may be off, Grandal is still one of the top catchers to watch in the 2010 class, and he'll have plenty of eyes on him as he takes cuts in the middle of the Miami order this spring. Cutting down on his large stride could help him with the off-speed stuff, as it would allow him to prevent from committing to the pitch too early.
Projected Position - C
Suggested Draft Slot - Late-1st to 3rd Round