LOHS Catcher Blaise Priester commits to LSU

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Priester presents something of a conundrum as a catcher with intriguing but raw tools who hasn't been scouted extensively by a lot of clubs. He didn't do a lot on the showcase circuit last summer, though he did play well at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in October. He also has to buck the history of Louisiana high school backstops -- only one who signed out of the Draft has made it to the big leagues, and that was Braves fourth-rounder Bob Didier back in 1967.

Priester's most enticing tool is his plus raw power, the product of strength, bat speed and an aggressive approach. He runs into trouble when he sells out for home runs, as he gets too long with his right-handed swing and too pull-happy. When he doesn't try to do too much, he shows some feel for the barrel. More athletic than most catchers, Priester can flash some solid run times but projects to have fringy speed once he's physically mature and accumulates some wear and tear behind the plate. His plus arm has produced some sub-1.9-second pop times, and he has worked hard to refine his receiving. The Meridian (Miss.) CC commit should be able to remain a catcher, but he moves well enough to play an outfield corner if a team wants to maximize his offensive potential.

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The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Priester earned Class 5A all-state honors for the Eagles after hitting .426 with 10 home runs, eight doubles, six triples and 44 RBIs. He batted leadoff and also threw out 12 of 22 runners.

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Multiple draft projections have the Meridian Community College signee among the players to be drafted Monday, the second day of the draft when MLB teams complete rounds 2-10 of the 20-round draft process. Priester is mentioned in pre-draft chatter on multiple websites as a Day 2 choice and is ranked among the top 175 draft-eligible players. Since the prep season ended, Priester has done individual workouts for the Rangers, Dodgers and Astros.

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“In my 20 years of coaching, I have not coached a five-tool player like Blaise,” LOHS coach Jesse Cassard said. “He had an incredible senior season. He has a lot of God-given talent that he has worked hard to develop. I am hoping he gets drafted Monday and gets what he deserves, a chance to play professional baseball (now).”

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