Connor Burns

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #130 prospect in 2023 draft
  School: Long Beach State Source: 4YR
  
  Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
  Age At Draft: 21.6
  BA Grade:45/Extreme
  Tools:Hit: 30. Power: 45. Run: 40. Field: 60. Arm: 70.
  
  Burns earned loud praise for his defense behind the plate at Don Lugo (Chino, Calif.) High and only garnered more as Long Beach State’s starting catcher the last three years. He won the Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022 and 2023 and set himself apart as not only the best defensive catcher in the draft class, but one of the best defensive catchers to come through in years. Burns is a plus-plus defender behind the plate who has a chance to win Gold Gloves. He is an excellent athlete who moves well laterally, is an elite pitch-framer with superb hands, blocks tough pitches in the dirt and makes highlight-reel catches on popped up bunts. He shuts down run games with plus-plus arm strength and elite accuracy and has the ability to throw from odd angles and his knees with quickness and precision. Burns’ defense is unimpeachable, but he’s a well below-average hitter who struggles to make contact against premium velocity. He has average raw power and has shown the ability to drive the ball the other way, raising hope he can provide just enough impact to get meaningful playing time with his defense. Burns earns comparisons to elite defensive catchers with light bats like Martin Maldonado and Jacob Stallings. He projects to be drafted on the middle of the draft’s second day.
• Ranked #486 prospect in 2020 draft
  Burns is one of the better defensive catchers in the 2020 high school class. He is a plus receiver with good footwork behind the plate and has a plus, accurate arm. He is a good athlete who has a quick release, gets down quickly on blocks and is generally quick in all aspects of catching. Burns hit for a high average in high school and shows flashes of power, but he still has a lot of development left as a hitter. It’s unlikely a team will take a flyer on him in a shortened draft. He is committed to Long Beach State.