Blake Mitchell was the polarizing first-round pick by the Royals in the 2023 MLB Draft. He was selected eighth overall. The pick came with college catcher, Kyle Teel, still on the board. High School catchers are certainly a risky pool to jump into so early in the draft, but Kansas City liked what they saw and took a chance on Mitchell in the first round.

Season Stats:

2023 (Complex): .147/.423/.176, 32.7% BB%, 26.9% K%, 92 wrc+

Wallace was a risky selection, but it’s possible that a dwindling farm system such as Kansas City’s needed exactly what they got in Mitchell. Recent prep catchers (such as Harry Ford and Tyler Soderstrom) haven’t had nearly as poor showings as those of yesteryear. Both are top 100 prospects in the league and the Royals surely hope Mitchell can follow a similar path.

He was committed to LSU before signing with the Royals. The Tigers Head Baseball Coach, Jay Johnson, compared Mitchell to Joe Mauer. Of Mitchell, he said, “Special talent. Joe Mauer qualities on catching side. If it doesn’t work, could become Major League Pitcher also. Special talent worthy of that pick.” The results were very limited in Arizona last season, and it’s difficult to take such a small sample for much worth. He didn’t hit the ball all that well, but it’s hard to know what he was working on behind the scenes with player development. Since his showing in the Complex League, he’s drawn rave reviews about his defensive ability and also hit his first professional home run in the Instructional League.

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 25/50

Game Power: 30/55

Raw Power: 40/60

Speed: 40/40

Glove: 45/50

Arm: 55/60

Best Case Scenario:

As is to be expected with any prep prospect this young, the range of outcomes for Blake Mitchell is vast. In the best case, he becomes exactly what he’s been billed as thus far: an above-average defensive catcher with a strong arm and prodigious power. The hit tool looks more like power over contact, but there’s the ability for both. He’s shown loud exit velocities so far in pre-draft workouts and through the instructional league. If he maintains that as he moves through the minor leagues, the potential is here for a franchise cornerstone Superstar catcher.

Worst Case Scenario:

The worst case for Mitchell is the age-old prep catcher adage. The power potential never materializes and all the hype around his bat is for naught. Mitchell has a strong arm and could end up transitioning to the corner outfield to focus on the bat, but his speed isn’t good enough to provide enough defensive value there. Instead, he becomes a first base depth option in the farm system and fails to reach the first-round pedigree.