Seattle Mariners select Nebraska catcher Josh Caron in 2024 MLB Draft

Nebraska catcher Josh Caron has been selected by the Seattle Mariners in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft, taken with the No. 121 overall pick in the draft.

Caron just finished his junior season with the Cornhuskers, a productive campaign that saw the team earn an NCAA Tournament berth.

The talented catcher saw his biggest workload yet as a junior, recording 240 at-bats and putting together a .308 batting average, a .579 slugging percentage and a .388 on-base percentage.

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He racked up 16 home runs, 15 doubles and a triple, driving in 65 runs and scoring 46 runs himself. Caron struck out 51 times and walked 32 times by either standard walk or a hit-by-pitch.

Over the course of three seasons at Nebraska, Josh Caron hit .269 at the plate and launched 23 home runs, 29 doubles and a triple. He had 101 RBI in that timeframe, while walking 81 times and striking out 101 times.

His overall skill set was obviously enough to get him drafted, and MLB scouts were high on a few different aspects of his game.

What MLB Draft analysts are saying about Josh Caron

The biggest thing that stands out about Caron was his year-over-year improvement at the plate. That included his power numbers, which really surged over his last two years.

Josh Caron earned Big Ten tournament MVP honors after hitting six home runs in six games, and that’s the kind of output that will have scouts salivating.

Here’s what MLB.com had to say in evaluating Caron ahead of the draft, ranking him as the No. 172 overall prospect going into the draft:

“A right-handed hitter, Caron pounds the ball harder than most college players and has more power potential than most backstops. He’s very strong and though he has a pull-heavy approach, his pop plays to all parts of the ballpark. He doesn’t strike out excessively, but he can get aggressive and is susceptible to chasing non-fastballs out of the zone.

“Caron’s below-average speed makes him quicker than most catchers, and he moves well behind the plate. His receiving and framing skills need to improve, though he has made progress, and he does a good job blocking balls in the dirt. He has solid arm strength but lacks consistency with the accuracy of his throws.”