C Dillon Dingler, Ohio State
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DoB: 9/17/1998. B/T: R/R
2020 Stats: 5 HR, .340/.404/.760, 1 SB, 7/4 K/BB in 13 games
In this year's draft class, a "late riser" is someone who had a strong start to the season before it shut down, and that's where Dingler finds himself. He's improved every year at Ohio State, having hit just .244/.332/.369 as a freshman and .291/.392/.424 as a sophomore before exploding for a .340/.404/.760 line in his brief 2020 campaign. In turn, he's improved his prospect status from "minor league roster filler" to "backup profile" to "potential big league starter." He got hot right at the right time, too, as he went 10-21 with five home runs and just one strikeout over his final five games of the season. While Patrick Bailey remains the top college catcher in the class (I'd consider Austin Wells to be a "college hitter who might be able to catch"), Dingler has really worked his way at least into that conversation and isn't far behind Bailey on a lot of boards.
There's very little public video available for Dingler, so it's a bit harder for me to get a good read on him, but I'll do my best. Standing 6'3", his power tended to show up more in batting practice than in games, as he homered just seven times over his first 111 college games, which extended up through March 6th of this year. Then he homered five times in his final four games, including three against North Florida in his second to last game, and suddenly it looks like he'll be able to tap that power in pro ball. He has always been a tough one to strike out and maintains just a 12.7% career strikeout rate, which pairs extremely well with his newfound power stroke and which will make him a well rounded hitter at the next level. That's great, because his defense is actually his calling card. He's right up there with Bailey as one of the top defensive catchers in the college class, with no doubt that he'll stick behind the plate. His strong arm is his best attribute, but he's very good with the glove as well and will be an asset back there.
In today's game, it's rare to find catchers who can both hit and field well – JT Realmuto cost the Phillies their top pitching prospect in Sixto Sanchez, and Yasmani Grandal just signed with the White Sox for $73 million. Buster Posey and Joe Mauer both took home MVP Awards, and Yadier Molina is considered a likely Hall of Famer despite a career line of just .282/.333/.405 (which measures out to almost exactly league average production). While Dingler's bat is far from proven outside of a hot five game stretch, that might be just enough to pass the extremely low bar for catcher offense for some teams. He entered the season looking firmly like a second round pick, but that now represents his floor as he's getting looks from teams in the comp round and even a few teams in the late first round. Dingler's combination of power, contact, and defense can really only be matched by Bailey, and he's also been heavily praised for his work ethic and leadership skills. That gives a ceiling of 20-25 home runs annually with solid on-base percentages and good defense, which is excellent for a catcher, though of course he comes some risk due to a shorter track record. If he does go in the first round, he'll be the first Big 10 player to do so since Illinois' Cody Sedlock went 27th overall to the Orioles in 2016, and the first position player since Indiana's Kyle Schwarber went fourth overall to the Cubs in 2014.
Single the other way (the best video I could find)
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