1. Charlotte’s top backstop prospect is 2057 7th round pick Lawrence Stewart. He completed his college career in ‘57, playing for the Burger King Whoppers. In total, he played 248 games at the collegiate level, slashing .292/.385./.422. He finished with a wRC+ of 111. Once drafted, Stewart was sent to AA New Bern, where he excelled. He played 80 games and slashed .379/.410/.490. He had a wRC+ of 143 and posted 2.6 WAR. While his defense is only regarded as a little above average, he threw out 43.4% of the runners attempting to steal. And despite playing only 80 games, Stewart was awarded the league’s Platinum Stick Award for the Catcher position.
2. Charlotte’s second ranked catching prospect is Masakado Matsunaga. He was selected in the 8th round of the 2056 draft. He spent 2057 as the primary starting catcher for the Elkins Buzzards before missing the end of the season with a back injury. In 49 games, Matsunaga slashed .273/.330/.449 with 9 home runs, a wRC+ of 108, and 1.1 WAR. His defense is the lowest rated among the top three prospects but he is about average overall as a defender. Matsunaga has a long way to go to reach his potential, but his offensive tools are the most well-rounded of the group with his potential contact at 6, power at 7; and eye at 5.
3. Charlotte’s number three prospect at the catcher position is Victor Torres. He was selected in the 12th round of the 2057 draft and assigned to the Charlotte A ball team, Danville. Torres only hit .241 in 235 college games played. In 79 games for Danville, he slashed .305/.392.430. He hit 6 home runs, had a wRC+ of 121 and 1.2 WAR. He is the best defender of the three players discussed here but probably the worst hitter of the group based on the opinions of the scouting community.
