1st Round Pick (15 overall): Devin Mesoraco, Catcher, High School

[reds44]

Post everything you find out about him here.


15th overall pick

Biographical Data
Player Name: Devin Mesoraco
Position: Catcher
School: Punxsatawney HS, Pa.
School Type: High School
Academic Class: Senior
Birthdate: 06/19/88
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 195 lbs.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Report Date(s): 04/23/07
Game(s): Bald Eagle HS

Focus Area Comments
Hitting Ability: Mesoraco has a ton of hitting ability, using a little leg kick in his approach, and doesn't swing at bad pitches.
Power: Mesoraco has plus power. Right now, it's more pull power, but eventually he'll develop power to all fields.
Running Speed: He's a fringy-average runner, which is pretty good for a catcher.
Arm Strength: He has a plus arm and isn't afraid to use it in pick-off attempts.
Arm Accuracy: His throws are always right on the money.
Fielding: Mesoraco has plus hands behind the plate.
Range: A terrific athlete, Mesoraco is outstanding at blocking balls in the dirt.
Baseball Instincts: Off the charts. He's got great makeup, he's very aggressive and he's a natural leader behind the plate.
Physical Description: Mesoraco is a strong backstop with a body type that might remind some of a Joe Girardi or Ivan Rodriguez.
Medical Update: Mesoraco missed much of 2006 following Tommy John surgery, but now is completely healthy and clearly is having no problems with his throwing.
Strengths: He's a complete package. He can hit with power and he can play defense with a strong arm and soft hands.
Weaknesses: He tends to get out on his front foot on his swing from time to time.
Summary: Mesoraco has answered any questions about his arm following Tommy John surgery a year ago and is on the rise among catching prospects. He's a complete catching package, with hitting ability, power, good hands, a plus arm and outstanding leadership ability.

c/o mlb.com

From Trent:

Thursday, June 07, 2007
Hello Mr. Mesoraco

Not sure if I'm supposed to be blogging about this (I'm having a hard time tracking down C. Trent) but since I'm writing the draft story for Friday's Post, I'll go ahead and do it anyway.

Your first-round pick is Devin Mesoraco, a catcher from Punxsutawney, Pa. He was supposed to go to the University of Virginia, but that doesn't look like it'll happen now. Supposedly, he's very athletic, and he really came on this year as a high school senior.

He also had Tommy John surgery two years ago, so I'm interested to hear what he has to say about that.

We're supposed to be talking to Mesoraco in about a half-hour. I'll post the highlights when I get off the phone call.

Editor's note: I do love when Josh does stuff so I don't have to.

Here's what Baseball America had to say about Mr. Mesoraco:



Scouting Report: As strong as this year's high school class was considered at the outset of the season, it got even better when high school righthanders Jarrod Parker and Nevin Griffith and Mesoraco came out of the gate showing better tools and ability than they had last summer and fall. Griffith and Mesoraco appeared in showcases, but they didn't show impact potential until this spring, and Mesoraco has been the biggest riser of them all. An arm injury led to Tommy John surgery when he was a sophomore, and he was relegated to DH duties as a junior. His arm strength has slowly returned, and this spring he has shown a 70 arm with quick, efficient releases. Defensively, Mesoraco compares favorably to 2001 Angels first-rounder Jeff Mathis, with athleticism serving as the foundation of an agile, quick-twitch player who receives and blocks exceptionally well. He shows above-average bat speed and 50-55 power at the plate. He's a solid-average runner, too, rounding out a legitimate five-tool package that probably won't make it out of the first round.





Devin is talking to reporters on a conference call right now (when Brad Johansen isn't screwing it up. He and his entire team and family are at a restaurant in Altoona, Pa., after his team's 7-0 victory in the state playoffs. Mesoraco was 0-for-1 with three walks, 'that's the way it's been all year,' he said.

Mesoraco said he grew up wanting ot be like Johnny Bench and is honored the Reds selected him because of that.

From Fay:

Thursday, June 7, 2007
Reds pick catcher

The Reds pick Devin Mesoraco, a catcher from Punxatawney, Pa.

Read he could go as high as fourth.

He's 6-1, 195 pounds. Also played shortstop. Had "Tommy John" surgery.

From minorleaguebaseball.com: "Mesoraco has answered any questions about his arm following Tommy John surgery a year ago and is on the rise among catching prospects. He's a complete catching package, with hitting ability, power, good hands, a plus arm and outstanding leadership ability."

From baseballamerica.com: "The more players who slide out of the top 10 picks based on signability, the better for Mesoraco, who has asserted himself as a first rounder who was expected to sign quickly for slot money anywhere in the first 30 picks. He could be taken as high as No. 4 to Pittsburgh. One of most attractive assets is the balance of his game."

BA had him No. 14. The Reds picked 15th.

He was the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year. From the Gatorade release: "At the time of his selection, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior catcher was batting .467 with four home runs and 16 RBI, amassing a .632 on-base percentage and a .911 slugging percentage. He is ranked amongst Baseball America’s top 100 high school prospects, confirming his status as one of the top backstops in the nation. . . Mesoraco has maintained a 3.61 GPA in the classroom."

[reds44]

Scouting Video

[crazyredfan40]

From everything I have read I like the pick...

It would be awesome for this organization if we can develop a catcher and have him ready for the big leagues in 3-5 years...

[Eric_Davis]

I know as much about this guy as anyone else on this board, which isn't much. I doubt if anyone here has seen him play in person more than a couple of times.

But, let me ask all of you this? How do you feel about a guy who had Tommy John surgery as a high-schooler only a year ago?

All I wanted in the 1st round was to take the best available player who didn't have major surgery.

Maybe he's good. Maybe he's not. But you always pay the piper. That surgery will effect his future. It's not humanly possible for it not to. The human body has a memory.

I don't like the pick.

[crazyredfan40]

Originally Posted by Eric_Davis

I know as much about this guy as anyone else on this board, which isn't much. I doubt if anyone here has seen him play in person more than a couple of times.

But, let me ask all of you this? How do you feel about a guy who had Tommy John surgery as a high-schooler only a year ago?

All I wanted in the 1st round was to take the best available player who didn't have major surgery.

Maybe he's good. Maybe he's not. But you always pay the piper. That surgery will effect his future. It's not humanly possible for it not to. The human body has a memory.

I don't like the pick.

The thing is that TJ is not as big a deal as it once was, and he had it as a sophmore and has been impressive to scouts and as they said that not many scouts were worried about it...

[TOBTTReds]

Originally Posted by Eric_Davis

I know as much about this guy as anyone else on this board, which isn't much. I doubt if anyone here has seen him play in person more than a couple of times.

But, let me ask all of you this? How do you feel about a guy who had Tommy John surgery as a high-schooler only a year ago?

All I wanted in the 1st round was to take the best available player who didn't have major surgery.

Maybe he's good. Maybe he's not. But you always pay the piper. That surgery will effect his future. It's not humanly possible for it not to. The human body has a memory.

I don't like the pick.

Appearantly his arm is back, and as long as he isn't a pitcher, then I am OK with it. I like the idea of a franchise catcher. Kind of like an NFL team drafting a possible franchise QB.

[Eric_Davis]

Originally Posted by crazyredfan40

The thing is that TJ is not as big a deal as it once was, and he had it as a sophmore and has been impressive to scouts and as they said that not many scouts were worried about it...

So, it was 2 years ago and not one?

It's still major surgery. At least it's not his knees.

Mitch Canham of the Oregon State Beavers is a Senior and a Catcher who hasn't had any surgeries and has had to work his way through incredible adversity....something like his dad being a drug abuser or something and he was real poor and was a walk-on that just keeps improving himself. Some had him in the 4th Round, but I think he might be available around the 10th-12th round. He could rise through the organization fast and he's both a good hitter and defensive catcher with a great ability to call games.

Oh, and I've seen him play in person numerous times.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Love the pick for several reasons: We didn't reach for him. Everyone had him ranked as a mid-first rounder, maybe higher. Our catching situation has been a mess for years. Really since Bench, although we have had a few decent catchers, Joe Oliver being the best unless you count Santiago's one year. But overall, it's been a disaster. About time we did something about it.

And as much as people hate Dave Ross, he is signed through 2008 with a club option for 2009. They were not going to go out and get another veteran catcher that would command more than a million, so this was definitely the best route to go. And it wasn't just "drafting for need" since Mesoraco was arguably the best player on the board.

[Eric_Davis]

Shoot, Canham is gone already at #57.

[MrCinatit]

He was born two years after I graduated from high school. I think I'll walk in front of a truck.


Seriously, though, did any of the simulations have us picking him? I do not recall any - but I could be wrong. If not, that shows you the value of simulations.

[jojo]

All I know is that there is no such thing as a can't miss catching prospect. Catching prospects are highly flammable.

[Chi-Town Red]

not many stud catchers period in the majors...lets hope he can be a Red
for years to come

[BucksandReds]

I love this and the 2nd pick. The SS that we took in round 2 sounds like Juan Castro Jr. That was an awful (but should be expected from WK) pick. The pitcher might have gone a little high but he is 17 so if they really saw something in that then it could be ok.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by MrCinatit

He was born two years after I graduated from high school. I think I'll walk in front of a truck.

Me too. And Lotzkar was born six months before my son. Someone Logan Run me.

[AdamDunn]

Good pick... better than Kevin Ahrens... could have got Rick Porcello though.