Drafted in the 2nd round (47th overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 2002 (signed for $800,000).
View Draft Report
In a down year nationally for catchers, Donachie could go as high as the second round. He stands out defensively with his catch-and-throw skills and has an athletic build at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds. He has improved markedly with the bat since his sophomore year, showing good power and starting to switch-hit as a senior. It's not clear whether he'll get much stronger, though his 1.9-second pop times from home to second help ease that concern.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
The Orioles selected righthander Alfredo Simon in the major league Rule 5 draft, then sent him to the Phillies for fellow Rule 5 choice Donachie and cash. Donachie has to stay on Baltimore's major league roster, or else he'll have to clear waivers and be offered back to the Royals. Whether he'll be able to hit enough to stick remains a huge question. A former switch-hitter, Donachie has hit exclusively righthanded since 2004. He's at his best when he stays with a gap-to-gap approach and has good extension in his swing. He does draw a good amount of his walks. Donachie is a defensive standout, however. He has a lightning-quick exchange with a strong, accurate arm and threw out 45 percent of basestealers last season. He's a below-average runner. He has recovered fully from a skull fracture in 2004, when teammate Kila Kaaihue hit him in the head with a bat while swinging in the on-deck circle.
Donachie led all Florida high school players with 15 homers in 2002, and parlayed that power and a prototypical catcher's skill set into an $800,000 bonus as a second-round pick. His pop was slow to come in pro ball, as he spent two years in complex leagues and had his 2004 full-season debut marred by a fractured skull. While they were standing in the on-deck circle during a July 16 game, Burlington teammate Kila Kaaihue hit him in the head with a practice swing, and Donachie had to be airlifted to a hospital. He finally broke out in high Class A last year, and he hit just as well on the road as he did at High Desert. Maturity and dropping switch-hitting to bat strictly righthanded led to his progress. Donachie still is adjusting to breaking pitches down and away from righthanders, after not having much experience batting righthanded against them. He projects as at least an average offensive catcher in terms of power and average, and his defensive skills draw the most plaudits. He's the organization's most well-rounded defender behind the plate. Donachie's above-average arm strength and quick release helped him lead California League regulars by erasing 52 percent of basestealers. He also blocks balls and calls games well. His performance in Double-A this year will indicate whether his improvement is for real.
The Royals have held high hopes for Donachie since he led Florida high school players with 15 home runs in 2002, including one off Kansas City's first-rounder that year, Zack Greinke. But injuries and roster crunches have limited Donachie to just 110 games as a pro, stunting his development. His 2004 season ended in mid-July, when he sustained a skull fracture when he was hit above the left eye by a practice swing from low Class A Burlington teammate Kila Kaaihue. Donachie toyed with switch-hitting in high school, but stuck to the right side in conference play and made the decision last year to abandon lefthanded hitting. He needs a full season of at-bats before the organization knows if he can live up to their initial projections of a .260 average and 15 home runs per season in Kansas City. He certainly hasn't produced at anywhere near that rate as a pro, hitting .204 with just one longball. Defensively, Donachie's athleticism and strength profile perfectly for an everyday catcher. His release and arm strength both rate above average, and he excels at calling games and blocking balls. Donachie took the organization's catcher-of-the-future label from the disappointing and injury-prone Mike Tonis entering 2004, but he'll need a solid season in Class A this year to prove he's not heading down the same road.
Donachie enjoyed a strong instructional league to wrest the catcher-of-the-future mantle from Mike Tonis. Donachie is quiet behind the plate with sure hands, great arm strength, and game-calling and blocking skills. His quick exchange and release don't show in his statistics, as he nabbed just 24 percent of basestealers in 2003. Similarly, his power potential doesn't show up in his numbers. He led all Florida high schoolers with 15 home runs as a senior in 2002, including one off first-round pick Zack Greinke. Donachie began switch-hitting in high school, but his coach didn't let him swing from the left side in conference games. He didn't resume work on that side of the plate until instructional league after the 2003 season. The Royals expect him to eventually hit about .260 with 15 homers annually. He reminds them of A.J. Pierzynski because he seems to do everything with ease. He also impressed with a decided improvement in his focus, as he had been immature in his first pro season. Donachie's playing time has been limited as a pro because of an ankle injury and a glut of catchers in the system. He'll try to turn his promise into production this year, either at Kansas City's new Rookie-level Idaho Falls affiliate or in low Class A.
Donachie led Florida high schoolers with 15 home runs as a senior, including one blast off first-round pick Zack Grienke. Nevertheless, he was considered more advanced defensively than offensively when he signed as a second-round pick for $800,000. That proved true as Donachie struggled at the plate in his first taste of pro ball. He was slowed by a high ankle sprain and failed to find a rhythm while splitting time with two other catchers. Nonetheless, he still packs plus power and the potential to hit for a solid average into his line-drive swing. He hit some impressive homers in a fall batting-practice session at Kauffman Stadium. A natural righthanded hitter, he switch-hit as a high school senior but the Royals have yet to decide whether he'll do so as a pro. Defensively, Donachie has sure hands, fine blocking and game-calling skills and a plus arm with a quick release (1.9 seconds from home plate to second base). He already has added 15 pounds to his durable frame since high school and still can get stronger as he blossoms into a frontline catcher capable of batting sixth or seventh in the order. He'll begin 2002 in low Class A.
Best Tools List
Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Kansas City Royals in 2007
Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Kansas City Royals in 2006
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone