2023 Mets Draft profile: Christian Pregent

Syracuse native Christian Pregent began his high school career at Father Lopez High School in Daytona Beach but finished it at Atlantic High School in Port Orange, transferring for his senior year. He hit .342/.484/.466 as a junior and .417/.545/.716 as a senior, all while playing strong defense behind the plate. Considered a follow among Florida high school players, Pregent went undrafted after graduating in 2019 and honored his commitment to Stetson University.

The first freshman in Hatters history to earn the honor of being named captain, Pregent hit .196/.315/.304 in 14 games in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, with 2 doubles, 1 home run, and 8 walks to 9 strikeouts. He was marginally a better hitter in 2021, appearing in 41 games and hitting .222/.313/.340 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 2 stolen bases, and 15 walks to 44 strikeouts. That summer, he played in a handful of games for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League but struggled with the bat, going 1-11 before returning to Stetson. Pregent continued marginally improving at the plate, hitting 209/.291/.388 in 44 games in 2022, hitting 8 doubles and 5 home runs, stealing 2 bases, and drawing 13 walks to 31 strikeouts. He went undrafted in the 2022 MLB Draft and returned to Stetson for his senior season. Appearing in 51 games, the 22-year-old established career highs in virtually every offensive category, hitting .315/.394/.567 with 9 doubles, 12 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 20 walks to 34 strikeouts.

Pregent stands square at the plate, holding his hands high and his bat angled at 1:30. He swings with a slight leg kick, with a swing that has some natural loft. His lower half and upper half often get out of sync, causing him to swing and generate power with his torso instead of his trunk. The backstop is more known for his defensive profess than his hitting ability. He is an excellent defender behind the plate, possessing some of the best catcher defensive tools in the 2023 MLB Draft. He receives pitches well, is mobile behind the dish, frames pitches well, consistently records quick pop times, has a quick release, and a strong, accurate arm.