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Summary
You may have heard about catching prospect Matt Thaiss. He's almost a bonafide first rounder in the coming draft. You probably have not heard about Logan Ice. He certainly won't be going in the first round of the draft. Yet, Ice has essentially matched Thaiss' slash line in Division One baseball this season. Yet, Ice has a fantastic chance of legitimately staying behind the dish. Yet, you get the point.
As of mid-April, Thaiss had the following slash line: .365/.460/.533, with 22 walks to 5 strikeouts. In the same time, Ice had this slash line: .360/.483/.697, with 20 walks to 5 strikeouts. Ice was never meant to be anything more than an average hitter for Oregon this season, providing the majority of his value with his defense. But, his hit tool has improved massively.
Pair his improved hit tool with his strong defense from behind the dish, and you get a really intriguing draft prospect. His arm is strong, but lacks consistency. He has a simple, quick swing, with an okay upward plane, bringing some lift to the ball.
Ice, currently, is slashing .310/.434/.536, with 37 walks to 25 strikeouts. His incredible early season form has barely even dipped. At the start of March, competing in the Pac-12 tournament, Ice was named the player of the week. At the conclusion of the tournament for Oregon, he was named the Pac-12 defensive player of the year. His defense behind the dish is extremely strong, and his bat is becoming extremely intriguing.
Information
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 191 llbs.
Classification: College junior.
Floor
I think, given his aforementioned defensive skills, Logan Ice could make for a strong backup catcher in the major leagues. Strong defense, enough offense to warrant being on the roster. Of course, the development of his defense will be central to his overall development if the Astros, did indeed, draft Ice.
Ceiling
If the developmental process goes perfectly for Ice, he could be a great major league catcher. Of course, to say it again, his defense is there. If, however, his bat continues to develop, he could be special. A major league catcher who plays great defense, paired with a strong bat is a rare talent.