Ohio's top high school baseball players: Meet the state’s best catchers

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at some of the top baseball players in Ohio.

We started with the top first basemen, and now we'll shine a spotlight on the catchers.

There are hundreds of outstanding catchers in Ohio, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive! Tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @SBLiveOH and let us know about other athletes worthy of fans’ attention.

Note: Many high school baseball players excel at multiple positions. Don't be alarmed to see an ace pitcher or slick-fielding shortstop listed here as a catcher, for example.

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Sam Battles, Norwalk, senior

Earned honorable mention all-Ohio honors last year by hitting .392 with 11 doubles, 15 RBIs and 31 runs scored. Behind the plate, the Ohio Dominican commit has good hands and a smooth transfer.

Darius Beck, Salem, senior

Hit .390 with a .445 OBP and led the team with 39 hits, including four doubles and two home runs. He had 28 RBIs and 34 runs scored while striking out only seven times in the No. 2 slot in the lineup. He is committed to Notre Dame College in Ohio.

Taylor Belza, Elyria Catholic, freshman

One of the most highly touted freshmen in the state, he has already committed to West Virginia and was named the top player in the class of 2025 by Prep Baseball Report. The left-handed hitter can also play middle infield and third base.

Ashton Bour, Hopewell-Loudon, senior

Selected first-team all-Ohio last year, he hit .500 with nine doubles, three homers, 34 RBIs and 32 runs scored. A great athlete, Bour was also named all-Ohio first team as a quarterback this past football season.

Blaine Bowman, Shelby, senior

In 128 innings caught last year, he had just one passed ball and threw out 10 runners. He also hit .413 with 38 hits, five doubles, three home runs, 25 RBIs and 42 runs scored to earn second-team all-Ohio honors in Division II.

Michael Bronowski, St. Vincent-St. Mary, senior

Against a tough schedule last season, he hit .288 with four doubles and 10 RBIs. STVM coach Anthony Boarman says, “Michael is one of the most talented catchers that I've coached. He possesses special physical skills, but his most valuable asset is his baseball knowledge and game awareness.”

Aaron Conley, Mechanicsburg, senior

Hit .440 with five home runs and 54 RBIs last season along with 30 runs scored and eight stolen bases. His numbers earned him a nod as second-team all-Ohio, as well as first-team all-Ohio Heritage Conference and was named the Division III player of the year by the Miami Valley Baseball Coaches Association.

Mason Eckelman, Walsh Jesuit, junior

The University of Michigan commit hit .388 with four home runs and 31 RBIs last season. He was named second-team all-Ohio in Division I. He will also pitch for the Warriors.

Brayden Frassman, Hamilton Ross, senior

The 6-foot-2 catcher hit .493 with seven doubles, three triples, two homers and 30 RBIs last season. He struck out just six times on the season and was named second-team all-Ohio.

Matt Graveline, Centerville, senior

Was named first-team all-Ohio in Division I last season. The Ohio State commit hit .421 with nine doubles, three triples and 21 RBIs as a junior.

Tommy Harrison, St. Edward, senior

Despite missing 10 games as a junior, he still was second on the team in hits and batted .420 with two home runs, 15 RBIs and a .998 OPS. The Miami (Ohio) commit can catch but also can play either of the corner infield positions.

Nolan Holmgren, Archbishop Hoban, senior

Helped lead the Knights to a Division II state title last season, leading the team in multiple offensive categories, including batting average (.370), hits (34), home runs (two), RBIs (27) and triples (four). He shared the team lead with eight doubles and was second on the team in runs scored with 24. He has committed to Marshall University.

Ryan Jackson, Bowling Green, senior

He hit .420 with seven doubles and had 25 RBIs last year in being named second-team all-Ohio in Division I. Already had a game this season in which he had three doubles, two walks, two RBIs and two runs scored to help lead Bowling Green to a win. He has committed to St. Leo University in Florida.

Parker McDaniels, Olentangy Berlin, sophomore

The starting catcher as a freshman last season, he hit .350 with 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored. Is excellent behind the plate at not only catching but blocking and framing. His coach calls him “one of the best, if not the best, catchers I have ever coached.”

Treston Nemeth, Harrison Central, senior

Named first-team all-Ohio last year after hitting .526 with eight homers. The University of Dayton commit was also named the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference player of the year. He's in the top 5 of his class academically, and his coach calls him “the best leader we've ever had in our school and program.”

Jimmy Nugent, Badin, senior

Earned second-team All-Ohio honors last season as he hit .426 and helped lead Badin to the Division II state semifinals. The 6-foot-2 backstop has committed to Penn State.

Brayden Roggow, Tiffin Columbian, sophomore

As a freshman, he hit .373 with 23 RBIs and 23 runs scored. While his offense is solid, his coach thinks his defense is even better. “His arm eliminates the running game and keeps everyone on their toes at all times. Brayden’s biggest attribute for us, though, is his attitude. The kid always has a smile on his face and an encouraging word for teammates. Brayden is the type of kid that makes a great face for our program.”

Robert Verba, Pymatuning Valley, senior

Verba is a catcher and pitcher who can dominate from the mound or behind the plate. He has a high 80s-low 90s fastball with a nasty breaking ball and uses that same power arm to control teams from behind the plate. Last year he hit .477 with six doubles, five triples and three homers.

Garrett Wright, Massillon Jackson, junior

The Bowling Green University commit hit .363 with 10 RBIs as a sophomore. Behind the plate, he is an elite defensive catcher with a plus arm to help control the running game.

Seth Yacobucci, Tallmadge, junior

He hit .355 with two homers and 26 RBIs as a sophomore last season for the Blue Devils. He also had 10 stolen bases and was named first-team All-Suburban League a season ago. Yacobucci is a versatile fielder who also plays shortstop for Tallmadge.