Ethan Hearn

The first-team catcher on BA’s Preseason All-American team, Hearn is a 6-foot, 195-pound backstop with a big arm and raw power out of a physical lefthanded swing. He has plenty of muscle in his frame, which helps him defensively, where he has plus arm strength and flashes plus pop times around 1.9 seconds in warmups. While scouts praise his defensive potential, there have been questions raised about his mobility behind the plate and the fact that he’ll need to polish his receiving skills. However, scouts believe his mental toughness and intense work ethic will suit him well as he moves up the ladder and has to incorporate more details into his game from a mechanical standpoint and in regards to leading a pitching staff. Offensively, Hearn is more power over hit at the moment, with above-average raw power but a below-average hit tool. With the chance to be an above-average or even plus defender depending on his development, Hearn’s power gives him the chance to be a solid everyday catcher in the current major league environment. Hearn is a Mississippi State commit, but as the best prep catching prospect in the class—which is the one of the riskiest demographics in the draft—he might not make it to Starkville.