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Jun 06, 2013 - Jun 08, 2013     
TBD - ,
Josh Elander
C OF 6-0 195   R/R
FB
60
40
OF
IF
1B
C
Pop
Range
CB
SL
CH
Split
Knuckle
3/14/12: Elander has been a highly-visible prospect since 2005, when as a 14-year-old he won Major League Baseball’s Pitch, Hit and Run competition for his age group at the All-Star Game in Detroit. He has since evolved into one of the top two or three college catching prospects for the 2012 draft. The tools and raw athletic ability that enabled Elander to beat out more than 500,000 competitors seven years ago as an adolescent are still very much in evidence as his power, speed and arm strength are all considered above-average assets. He is exceptionally strong in his powerful 6-foot-1 and 215 pound frame, and not surprisingly his raw power is considered his best tool. Elander takes a very aggressive swing from a busy approach, and can drive balls with authority to all fields, though his power is most-evident in batting practice as he has homered only eight times in his career at TCU. But Elander has also been clocked in the 60 in sub-6.8 seconds (modest speed by most standards, but very fast for a catcher) and his fastball at 91 mph in limited looks on the mound in the past. That kind of pure arm strength enables Elander to post steady 1.9-1.95 second pop times on his throws to second. For all of his obvious attributes as a top catching prospect, Elander caught only 38 games in his first two seasons at TCU, including just one as a freshman, and still has a lot of work to do in refining his game behind the plate, particularly his blocking and receiving skills. But he has made significant headway in that area, particularly last summer after he was installed as the No. 1 catcher on USA Baseball’s college national team after initially being recruited to be the team’s backup to Florida’s Mike Zunino. When Zunino, coming off an extended stay at the College World Series, subsequently declined the invitation, Elander took full advantage of the opportunity. Not only did he hit .327-0-7 with seven extra-base hits in 14 games, but he made big strides defensively while handling a pitching staff deep in front-line arms. While still a bit raw mechanically, his superior athleticism served him well in refining his shifting and blocking talents. The upshot of his positive Team USA experience is that Elander has developed a lot more confidence in his catching ability, and it also went a long way in convincing scouts that he should be more than adequate as a catcher at the next level, particularly with the raw arm strength and quick release he already possessed to combat the running game. Beyond his physical skills, Elander demonstrates mature leadership qualities and excellent instincts for the game behind the plate, and scouts have become enamored with his hard-nosed demeanor and fierce competitive approach. He’s never been afraid to get dirty in his role. As a junior at TCU, Elander’s entire game has continued to evolve. In addition to his improving defensive skills, he also led the Horned Frogs by a wide margin with a .388 average through the team’s first 14 games this spring. That came on the heels of a solid .356-2-33 season as a freshman and .333-5-38 campaign as a sophomore. Offense has always been considered the strength of Elander’s game, and yet he continues to work on becoming a more complete hitter. He has learned to draw more walks (.432 on-base percentage in his career at TCU) and get deep into counts, but at the same time has been encouraged by the TCU coaching staff to be more aggressive at the plate, to drive balls with authority on a more-consistent basis and worry less about striking out (88 times in his first two years). While Elander has the speed, versatility and all-around athletic ability to settle into an outfield corner, the progress he has shown over the last year as a catcher has finally convinced once-skeptical scouts that he can now handle the job on an everyday basis, and his projected lofty standing in this year’s draft should reflect that opinion.




Jul 17, 2007 - Jul 22, 2007   Action Baseball 16u  44
East Cobb Complex - Marietta, GA
Josh Elander
C OF 6-0 185   R/R
FB
60
40
OF
IF
1B
C
Pop
Range
CB
SL
CH
Split
Knuckle