Player Profile: Austin Wynns

    Austin Wynns is a 6’2” 190 lb. catcher from the California State University, Fresno. The athletic teams are better known as the Fresno State Bulldogs. In 2012, this backstop batted .284 while starting 57 games. He ended his college season with 194 plate appearances, scoring 35 runs, with 55 hits, 22 doubles, 4th on team with 30 runs batted-in, and 22 walks. On April 3rd, Wynns was named the Sysco Player of the Week when he batted .467 with 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, and threw out 2 runners. For Bourne, in the past three games he has 2, 3, and 1 hit respectively. Included in that span, he has hit 3 doubles and an RBI. Austin has raised his OPS .149 points (from .472 to .621) and his average .056 points (from .180 to .236). He has been an excellent midseason addition to the Braves.
    As for hitting mechanics, Austin works deep into counts because he has a great understanding of the strike-zone. He is disciplined at the plate and steps into the box with a lot of confidence. He starts his stance in a wide base with his hands in the hitter’s slot. Wynns’ hands move in a circular motion before he takes a slow, small step to set them. I like the way Austin’s head stays still throughout his swing. This is vital for recognizing pitches and improves a hitter’s ability to hit for contact. Once he steps to set his hands, he implements a very good, smooth weight shift. His weight is balanced between his legs at contact. His head stays on the baseball, and he keeps his hands close to his body before the bat head explodes onto the baseball. His swing is short and compact and he stays balanced throughout his follow-through.
    More importantly, Austin is an excellent catch and throw guy behind the plate. As for arm strength a “pop time” of 2.00 is considered average. Austin has “pop times” as low as 1.76-1.89. That is extremely impressive! Some of his intangibles behind the plate are that he calls a great game and works extremely hard on every pitch. Austin calls a great game and seems to be in the batter’s head and one step ahead of them. He is constantly aiding his fielders by verbally directing them about the situation. I love his hands and I made sure to include that in his video. You can see he has soft hands receiving the ball and pulls it into the strike zone without any rapid glove movements. Keeping glove movement to a minimum is important because when the umpire sees the glove move too much, the umpire will usually call it a ball. As for making the umpire's job easier, Wynns makes sure to get as low as possible in his crouch (Picture Below thank you to Braves photographer Kelsey Driscoll for the first one). This helps the umpire see the whole plate.
    In conclusion, Austin is a fantastic leader behind the plate for the Braves’ defense. He limits the running game with his strong arm, and works hard for his pitchers. The Bourne pitchers love throwing to him, and he is an asset to the team. He battles at the plate and hits the ball well. He works hard night in and night out for the Braves, and I am sure the Fresno State Bulldogs enjoy his presence. I feel an organization will be ecstatic with the player they draft and he will move up quickly due to his effort, intelligence, and ability behind the plate.