Caleb Ricketts

Ricketts has been known to scouts since his high school days as the starting catcher at Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High, where he caught first-round pick Cole Winn in 2018 and played in two National High School Invitationals. After hitting just two home runs in his first three seasons at San Diego, he clobbered 16 homers this year while batting .373/.423/.658 and was named the West Coast Conference player of the year. Despite his large 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame, Ricketts is primarily a contact hitter who hits the ball hard on a line. He learned to elevate to his pullside this season and began to show average power, although he still has to prove that power will translate with a wood bat. Defensively, Ricketts has split time between first base and catcher and will have to work hard to be a fringe-average defender behind the plate. His size limits his mobility and flexibility and he needs to improve at blocking balls in the dirt. He has below-average arm strength but improved his transfer and release to throw out 45.7% of baserunners this season. Ricketts is a fourth-year junior and could be used as a money-saving pick. His production as a catcher should get him drafted late on the draft's second day or early on the third day.