#86 Stryker Trahan (Catcher[L/R])

Arizona Diamondbacks

Date of Birth: April 25th, 1994(age 19)
Origin: 1st Round Pick(#26 overall) in 2012 out of Acadiana HS(LA)
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 215
Other Links:

• 2012 Shadow Mock Draft (Bullpen Banter)
• 1st Day MLB Draft Reactions (Bullpen Banter)
• Diamondbacks May Stryke Gold (Mitch Colahan)

Evan Rentschler: Trahan was a sleeper coming out of his sophomore year of HS. His Buzz Lightyear build and confidence stood out to me, as did the way the ball came off the bat, on a line a laser would envy. Initially I was shocked watching him run the bases like a gazelle. The running ability, in case you’re wondering, is not exaggerated, and the reason Trahan makes this list is as much because of his stunning tools as his skills.

And he does have skills, though mostly with the lumber. The advanced pitch recognition he showed in HS wasn’t a mirage, as he walked a remarkable 40 times in 207 plate appearances. And he’s not just a slugger; it would not be surprising to see him develop into a reliable .280 hitter with some years above the .300 mark. There are questions regarding his defense, and if he were a sure fire catcher at highest levels I suspect we would have had him higher on this list. That said, I’m a believer in his work ethic and raw tools, so if there is a switch to another position it will probably be a signal that his bat is too good to be retarded by the five or six years of steady tutelage it will take to mold him into a major league catcher.

Chris Blessing: Leading up to the 2012 draft, the player I was most excited to see drafted was Stryker Trahan. Obviously, the name was a factor in my love for the kid but, as Evan mentioned, I personally fell in love with the lasers this kid launched of his bat. While I believe Trahan’s place in Bullpen Banter’s Top 100 is well deserved, I don’t believe that we should give him points for being a prospect at a relatively scarce position like catcher. As Evan mentioned, his defensive limitations probably caused his ranking to be a bit lower on our list than it would probably have been otherwise. Diamondbacks fans can take solace knowing that, despite question marks regarding Trahan’s long term survival at catcher, Trahan’s bat alone propelled him into a Top 100 ranking.

Conor Dowley: While I’m definitely a little bearish on Trahan sticking as a catcher, there are some things to give you hope for him behind the dish. He has the physical tools to do it, and the arm strength to control a running game. The issue is that his mechanics still look raw back there, and that costs him at times.

What’s not an issue is his bat. Trahan has gifts at the plate, and as Chris and Evan both pointed out, those gifts on their own are far more than enough to keep him on this list. I’m don’t see the batting average that Evan does going forward, I see a couple concerning issues that leave him vulnerable inside, but I do see a good hitter with premium power for the position who could, in time, force his way in to a major league lineup with the ability to stay there for a while.

Fantasy Outlook by Evan Rentschler
Trahan is another deep/dynasty league pick, but even for those owners there is a calculation to be made. If he’s a catcher, he could take many, many years to make it to the majors as the Diamondbacks painstakingly hone his defensive chops. If they cut bait and decide that the bat is too good to delay, his arrival could come in half the time. If Trahan pans out, he’ll hit for plus power and good to very good average in the middle of a major league batting order, and leagues which use on-base will benefit most. At worst he should be a corner OF with a great bat. At best he’ll be a solid catcher with an elite bat for the position. Keep an eye on the defense and factor that into your time horizons.

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