Mariners select C Josh Caron in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft

Mariners find some catching depth for the organization in the fourth round

By now you know the deal: the Mariners spent the majority of their bonus pool in the first two rounds in order to essentially get two first-round picks, meaning today’s picks are going to be more on the money-saving college side. In the fourth round, the Mariners opted to address the catching depth in the organization, taking catcher Josh Caron out of Nebraska. Caron was #300 on Baseball America’s pre-draft list, but made MLB’s Top 200.

Caron’s most exciting skill is his big-time pull power from the right side.

Despite this over-the-fence pop, Caron doesn’t strike out too much, showing excellent bat-to-ball skills and an ability to make powerful contact, although he’s susceptible to expanding the zone at times. His batted ball data is excellent, as well:

As a receiver, Caron is a big-bodied backstop with a strong arm. Opponents stole just 23 bases against Nebraska catching this season, which is tied for ninth-best nationally. Scouts like his operations behind the plate, projecting as an average or better defensive catcher with some athleticism. Consistently posting pop times sub two seconds, there’s a shot Caron can evolve into a well rounded catcher with both pop and chops behind the dish.

If Caron is able to refine his approach and reduce his aggression at the plate, Caron could be a really nice catching piece for a system that lacks any depth outside of top prospect Harry Ford. Turning 21 in just a few weeks, Caron is relatively young for the college side, which provides him some extra developmental runway. As a presumed money saver, Caron provides some considerable upside at a position of need.