Cypress College C Dominic Campeau Scouting Report, February 2018

Wide, low set with slightly open stance; comes closed upon stride, with good balance and moderate weight transfer through load and swing. Orientation to center field with mature approach to hit the ball the other way when he’s pitched there; enough pitch recognition and bat speed to turn on pitches down and in, though, and will hit to all fields with authority with some success. Good contact skills and already shows advanced feel to manipulate the barrel; reminds me a bit in that way of Arizona Diamondbacks first base prospect Pavin Smith; predominantly doubles power may come for Campeau as with Smith, but there’s exceptional hand-eye coordination and barrel feel here to become a good professional hitter. (Read more on Smith here and here, as Dominic Campeau may somewhat mimic Smith’s offensive path.)

Short stroke with average to above-average bat speed, but little physical leverage with his low set and wide stance; some ability to lift the ball in the air, and I really like his feel for manipulating the barrel, but not enough raw power to produce a lot of over-the-fence pop, especially in game action. Much of his power will come as gap-to-gap fare for doubles; value here in his ability to consistently put the barrel on the ball, and he’s got a shot to be a doubles machine from the left side of the plate. Will add a bit of physical strength in years to come and should hit a few homers for good measure, but can’t imagine raw or game power pushing to 50 FV even through development; line drive guy.

Soft, quiet hands with great feel for framing and receiving. Tendency right now to get a bit too casual and cute with receiving at times, but he picks up 50/50 balls and steals strikes every game for his pitching staff. Engaged with good anticipation behind the plate; great athlete, and his athleticism shines in moving around behind the dish — blocking, setting, backing up bases, etc. Calls his own game at times right now; very coachable and will make mid-game and mid-inning adjustments based on commands from Cypress College staff in my looks. Competitor; intense, calm, good situational awareness and anticipation. One of the better defensive catchers I’ve seen this spring alongside Saddleback College‘s Brett Auerbach, and one or two other college prospects I’ll write up in the coming weeks; real chance to be an above-average professional catcher.

Measured four pop times to second base in my looks: 2.01, 2.03, 2.06, and 2.07. He’s got a shot to get slightly quicker and more efficient coming up out of his crouch, and slightly better throwing mechanics (including cutting down on some recoil) will improve accuracy through his target and cut down on pop times in the future. Good raw arm strength aided by strong, athletic lower half that gives him a good base from which to throw; quick release with snap throws on back picks and to first/third base from his knees. Lots of quick-twitch in his throwing game here; sneaky-strong arm that should settle in nicely once he reaches pro ball.

Timed him 4.35 up the line from the LHH box, and 4.75 on a turn to second; not an overly outstanding runner by objective times, but more than enough speed for a catcher with better quickness than foot speed might suggest. Athleticism, especially relative to his position, is off the charts; strong kid with good first step and quick feet, even if it doesn’t manifest itself as well down the line. Light on his feet and bounces quickly up to run, whether as a hitter or catcher. Good anticipation and some aggressiveness on the bases helps him here, as it does with a guy like Brett Auerbach. Athleticism should stick with him for a while and, I think, actually improve his foot speed for a time early in his pro career.

Son of a coach, and you can tell; coachable, engaged, aggressive with plenty of hustle and good work ethic. Leader on the field and settles in well to role directing pitchers, defensive positioning, etc. Bounce-back to Cypress College from Cal State San Bernardino, where he played quite a bit as a true freshman; I haven’t heard of his four-year commitment yet, but Dominic Campeau is a Division I-quality catcher and — whether this summer or next — deserves a long look as a potential pro prospect. At 6’0″, 190 lbs., he has the frame to stick behind the plate; a little room there to add a bit more muscle, but already well built and chiseled with good physical strength.

Without question, Dominic Campeau is a 2018 MLB Draft follow, and my hunch is there’s a decent chance an organization pulls the trigger on selecting him this June. If no one does — or if he doesn’t sign — he’ll likely end up similar to catching prospect Trevor Casanova, who turned down the Seattle Mariners‘ 14th round selection last June out of El Camino College to play this season at Cal State Northridge. For my money, Campeau is even a bit better than Casanova, particularly in his defensive work, and thus I wouldn’t be shocked if Campeau hears his name called in this summer’s MLB Draft.

Long term, Dominic Campeau has good enough tools across the board to perhaps become an everyday big league catcher at ceiling. He won’t hit for a ton of power, but I like his left-handed stroke a lot, and his knack for finding the barrel will make him a good professional hitter. Behind the plate, the defensive foundation and base of athleticism is already there, combined with raw arm strength and already some rudimentary understanding of how to call a game. Campeau will transition well into pro ball and become a valuable catching prospect. As with many catchers, his is an organizational depth floor with some platoon/backup role fit, but I really like Dominic Campeau’s game and I believe he has the tools to become a solid everyday catcher if things fall into place. MLB ETA: 2022.