Wyatt Hendrie

The Cubs drafted Hendrie in the 10th round out of Antelope Valley (Calif.) JC in 2019, but he did not sign and made his way to San Diego State. He immediately took over as the Aztecs starting catcher in 2020 and blossomed this spring, batting .379 with nine home runs, 52 RBIs and nearly as many walks (22) as strikeouts (25). Hendrie is a converted outfielder who is a plus athlete behind the plate. He has plus arm strength, plays with energy and shows the hands and footwork to be an average to above-average defender. His throwing accuracy, footwork and receiving have been inconsistent in the past, but they have gradually improved with experience and made significant gains even over just the course of this season. He has the strength and toughness to withstand the physical toll of catching and works hard for his pitchers behind the plate. Hendrie’s bat is a bit light, although he showed improved power this season and led SDSU in home runs. His solid barrel control and good strike-zone discipline give him a chance to be a fringe-average hitter. Hendrie’s power still projects to be below-average once he starts swinging a wood bat, but that may be enough with the defense he brings. He is an above-average runner, rare for a catcher, and went 8-for-8 on stolen bases this season.