Devin Mesoraco ... catcher?

[M2]

Here's the latest BA prospects blog where it rates the throwing arms of catchers in its prospects guide (qualifications are they had to play in a full season league, face at least 50 SB attempts and be in a team's top 30 prospects).

Mesoraco ranked 54th (next to last) with a 17.4 CS%.

He also made the comments section of the piece:

Devin Mesoraco: Little went right for the Reds’ 2007 first-round pick. The low Class A Midwest League isn’t kind to hitters, but scouts who saw Mesoraco came away disappointed in his conditioning. Though he did show some power, his offensive performance with Dayton was fairly pedestrian. He wasn’t much better defensively, struggling to throw out runners and committing 15 passed balls in 72 games. Mesoraco also battled through injuries to both of his thumbs, so he’ll get a chance to regroup in 2009, but it was not an auspicious debut.

It would seem to me the first question that needs to be answered is whether this kid has a future behind the plate.

[morande]

I have yet to see the kid play yet, and this is going to sound crazy but when I saw him at reds fest I didn't see a player in him. I really like Justin Tordi I saw him play in college at UF and he looked legit

[dougdirt]

Mesoraco is a catcher in progress. He has the tools, he just needs to hone them in. He made some good progress as the season went along in all defensive facets of the game.

[ochre]

Thumb problems are catcher kryptonite.

[RedsManRick]

Pretty sad when you take a guy in the first round of the draft and there's absolutely nothing notable about his skill set out of the gate. Doug, could you expound on your comment about his tools? What tools does the kid possess that couldn't be said about other catchers in our system?

[lollipopcurve]

this is going to sound crazy but when I saw him at reds fest I didn't see a player in him.

Can you explain what you mean by this?

I tend to trust what redsof72 has said about Mesoraco: solid stick, long way to go defensively, shaky confidence. They need to slow down with him, and he's going to have to have some very good coaching.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by RedsManRick

Pretty sad when you take a guy in the first round of the draft and there's absolutely nothing notable about his skill set out of the gate. Doug, could you expound on your comment about his tools? What tools does the kid possess that couldn't be said about other catchers in our system?

He has a real strong arm (but needs to work on going from the catch to the throw), is athletic behind the plate and has good hitting tools. His bat is the best in the system as far as catchers go, and his arm and athleticism are toward the top as well. He just needs refinement like most catchers a year out of high school. Unlike other catchers in the system with tools, he has a full set of them, even though he doesn't use them all currently. Add in that he is going to be 20 for most of next season and he has plenty of time to get them from tools to skills.

[JayBruceFan]

His arm is decent

Catch and throw skills are horrible

Footwork is bad as well

[redhawk61]

I saw a game at the beginning of the year and a game near the end, lets just say I saw marked improvement with his defense. He will get there, it will take time, but he will get there, he has the skills. Watching him, just to put an ETA. on when I think his defense will be very good is 2012, he just needs to provide with the bat and everything will take care of itself.

[Red Leader]

I hope the Reds stay patient with this kid. I know there's going to be pressure on them since he's a first round draft pick but he's got a lot of work to do behind the plate. I'm hoping his stick keeps him around. I'm optimistic that his defense will come around but I don't think he'll ever be a run-stopper behind the plate. It's a shame, too, because he does have a good arm. Someone should have been all over this kid since early high school to work on his footwork, mechanics and transfer. It doesn't appear that happened.

[M2]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

I tend to trust what redsof72 has said about Mesoraco: solid stick, long way to go defensively, shaky confidence.

I'd say his stick becomes deficient the second you consider him having to play anywhere other than catcher. No one's confusing his offense with young Joey Votto, who had bat enough to move away from catcher to first base.

[OnBaseMachine]

I saw Mesoraco at Redsfest... he's in good shape IMO. I don't know what the heck that scout was talking about when he said Mesoraco was pudgy or out of shape. I was a little disappointed with his numbers this year but I haven't lost hope yet. I'd start him back in Dayton and let him work on some things.

[Mario-Rijo]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

I saw Mesoraco at Redsfest and he's in very good shape. I don't know what the heck that scout was talking about when he said Mesoraco was pudgy or out of shape.

His extra BP work might have been showing up in his play, he may have looked sloth like. Otherwise I can't figure it out either.

Bottom line with Mes is it's too soon to be concerned about him right now. And for the record if he starts anywhere above Dayton in '09 it might be the worst thing possible for him.

[M2]

Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo

Bottom line with Mes is it's too soon to be concerned about him right now. And for the record if he starts anywhere above Dayton in '09 it might be the worst thing possible for him.

I'd say it's well-past time to be concerned about him. It's too soon to assume that he won't turn things around, but he merits plenty of concern.

I agree completely with the second sentence, but that's because I am concerned about this kid. IMO, the Reds can't afford to act like nothing's amiss with Mesoraco. They need to put on the brakes and find him a level of play where he can thrive.

[15fan]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

His bat is the best in the system as far as catchers go, and his arm and athleticism are toward the top as well.

Is there another bar in the system that's set lower than the bar appears to be at catcher?

Edit: If he's got a decent arm, then maybe he'd be better served trying the other end of the battery?