ABQ
Korey Lee, C
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Scouting report
Lee has a great baseball player's frame and superlative athleticism for most positions, let alone catcher. His mobility and plus-plus arm make him a potential impact defender there, and he may end up playing other positions, too. The Astros gave him some reps in the outfield after he signed in 2019, and Lee had amateur experience at several infield positions. He's currently catching on one knee, with his hands working from the ground up as he tries to frame fastballs at the bottom of the zone. While one-knee'd catching can create problems for some guys as they exit their crouch to throw, it's not a problem for Lee, who explodes out of his stance and maintains sound footwork that helps enable arm accuracy. He doesn't have a long track record with the bat, however. Yes, Lee hit .320/.420/.626 as a junior at Cal but he didn't perform anywhere near that level as an underclassman and hasn't really had an opportunity to reinforce that line in pro ball because the pandemic washed away what would have been his first full season. Pro scouts who saw him in 2019 after the draft thought his swing was long, sweeping downward in an unimpactful way, and also thought he struggled to recognize breaking balls. His 2020 instructs and 2021 spring training looks were much stronger than that, though, which seems to have coincided with a change to Lee's swing. He's eliminated a big leg kick and simplified his footwork. His rare physical ability combined with the low industry inventory at the catcher position makes him a potential everyday player if the swing change helps make him an even average all-around offensive player. (Alternate site, Fall Instructional League)