Drew Romo -- Prospect Evaluation

Drew Romo, a catcher from The Woodlands, Texas committed to LSU, played a crucial role in USA Baseball's 2018 Pan-American Championship campaign, catching 16 of the team's final 18 international games. Over 16 career games for Team USA, Romo compiled a .345/.514/.500 slash line with 18 hits, 13 runs, 5 extra base hits, and 15 RBIs while maintaining a 12:15 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His advanced ball-strike recognition and strength for his age were notable offensive attributes.

Defensively, Romo demonstrated elite skills with a 1.76 pop time and quick release behind the plate. At 17 years old, he was one of only two players on the 18U roster young enough to qualify for another year, the other being Pete Crow-Armstrong. He was recognized by USA Baseball coaching staff as a "gamer, super kid, and hard-working student of the game." A USA Baseball official stated: "Drew is one of the most consistent high school players in this year's draft. He's a premier catcher with the ability to lead an entire pitching staff."

The article emphasizes that Romo possesses a "sixth tool"—an intangible leadership quality and understanding of the game that cannot be captured in statistics or video analysis, but is recognized by coaches and teammates who work directly with him.

Drew Romo, the Colorado Rockies' top catcher prospect ranked 4th overall, was selected 35th overall in 2021—the highest pick ever used by the franchise at the catcher position. The 21-year-old, 6'1" 205-pound backstop signed for a $2.1 million bonus and is widely considered the organization's catcher of the future.

Romo's 2022 season in High-A Spokane was interrupted by a hand injury in July that significantly affected his performance. Before the injury, he posted a .280/.348/.408 slash line with an .884 OPS in April. However, following the July hand injury, his production collapsed to .165/.228/.247 across 92 plate appearances, forcing him to DH duty from August onward. His full-season statistics were .254/.321/.372 (95 wRC+) with 5 home runs, 5 triples, and 19 doubles, along with 18 stolen bases in 21 attempts, while playing at 2.5 years younger than the High-A average age.

Romo is characterized as a high-risk prospect due to being a high school catcher and switch-hitter, but provides a strong defensive floor with Gold Glove potential behind the plate. His switch-hitting showed inconsistency in 2022 with an .854 OPS from the right side but only .645 OPS from the left side—the opposite trend from his 2021 debut season. Strike-out rate of 19% and walk rate of 8% are acceptable for a defensive-focused catcher. MLB ETA is 2024-2025 with a projected future value of 55 (first-division regular catcher).

Drew Romo is a switch-hitting catcher drafted 35th overall by the Colorado Rockies in 2020. Born August 29, 2001, in Fountain Valley, California, Romo stands 5'11", 205 lbs and attended The Woodlands high school before committing to LSU. He made his professional debut on August 18, 2024.

Romo has established himself as an elite defensive prospect since his draft day. Scouts consistently praise his catch-and-throw abilities, positioning him as potentially a plus-plus defender with plus arm strength. His defensive reputation has been described as the best in his prep class for four years, comparable to top-10 pick Shea Langeliers. He combines soft hands with excellent blocking and receiving skills.

Offensively, Romo presents mixed evaluations. He demonstrates solid raw power from both sides of the plate, with a more grooved swing from the left side and a rigid, slightly more powerful righthanded swing. However, scouts have noted swing-and-miss concerns and uncertainty about his ability to hit advanced pitching. His positive aspect is a good understanding of the strike zone that could generate offensive value through disciplined at-bats and ambush power.

Romo's prospect ranking has fluctuated within the Rockies system, reaching #3 in 2022-2023 before settling at #17 in 2025. He was ranked #80 by Baseball America in 2023 and #9 in the California League in 2021. Recently, he has been traded to the Chicago White Sox organization and assigned to the Charlotte Knights.

Drew Romo, Colorado's 22-year-old switch-hitting catcher prospect, ranks 7th on the Rockies' prospect list after receiving 561 points across 23 ballots. The 6'1", 205-pound backstop is considered the franchise's catcher of the future, though he has fallen from previous top-100 prospect rankings. Drafted 35th overall in 2020—the highest pick ever at the catcher position in franchise history—Romo offers a strong defensive floor with Gold Glove potential, though his demographic as a high school catcher with switch-hitting abilities represents considerable risk.

During 2023 at Double-A Hartford, Romo struggled early, posting a .536 OPS in April and .590 in May, but improved significantly in the second half with an .891 OPS. Overall, he compiled a .254/.313/.440 line with 13 home runs and 103 wRC+ across 2.7 years younger than league-average competition. However, his defensive performance fell short of expectations, committing 14 errors with 8 passed balls in 78 games while throwing out only 20% of steal attempts.

Romo's switch-hitting ability showed significant platoon splits, with a .468 OPS from the right side against left-handed pitchers versus .836 OPS batting left-handed. Strikeout rate sat at 18% with an 8% walk rate. He received late-season promotions to Triple-A Albuquerque (6-for-17 in four games, 123 wRC+) and the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a .231/.375/.359 line in 48 plate appearances with an emphasis on drawing walks. Romo has three options remaining with an MLB ETA of late 2024.

Drew Romo is a 6'1", 210-pound switch-hitting catcher from The Woodlands High School in Texas who is committed to LSU. MLB.com ranks him as the 35th-best overall prospect and fourth among catchers in the 2020 draft. Romo is a defense-first catcher with exceptional skill behind the plate. His pop time reaches 1.76 seconds, and scouts grade his arm and field tools at 60/80. He demonstrates compact mechanics, excellent footwork, and strong leadership qualities. Offensively, Romo is a better contact hitter than power hitter, with a stronger swing from the left side. Scouts project him as a .260 contact and on-base hitter with potential to hit 12-15 home runs annually. His speed grades at 40/80, but he runs the bases better than most catchers. The primary concern is his power production, graded at 45/80. Additionally, his consistency at the plate has been questioned, with a slow start to the 2020 season before cancellation. A significant historical concern is that among catchers selected in the first round over the last 37 drafts, only Joe Mauer accumulated 5.0+ WAR in MLB, indicating elevated risk with high school catcher selections.