Kevin Bazzell’s Fall League test behind the plate: can he keep up with Jarlin Susana’s “best stuff”?

The Nationals prospect says catching Jarlin Susana this Arizona Fall League is as close as pitching gets to unhittable when the right-hander is in the zone, and it is also sharpening Bazzell’s work as a receiver.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

In the Arizona Fall League, Nationals catching prospect Kevin Bazzell has been living behind the plate for Jarlin Susana, a fellow Nationals prospect whose velocity, spin and pitch mix have drawn rave reviews from his battery mate. Bazzell said he hadn’t caught Susana until mid-August during Susana’s rehab, but since then they have worked together multiple times across levels and in the AFL.

Susana’s path to the AFL included his first rehab outing after last year’s lat surgery, during which Bazzell caught him on Aug. 11 with High-A Wilmington, then again during the regular season on Sept. 12 with Double-A Rochester. Their AFL run has continued with Bazzell catching Susana three times since, including a Wednesday outing for Salt River.

In that Wednesday start, Susana, listed at 6-foot-6, struck out six while allowing one earned run on one hit and three walks over three innings. The arsenal included a four-seamer and sinker that sat 100-101 mph and touched 102.4, plus a mid-80s breaking ball that Bazzell described as a power curveball (noting many systems tag it as a slider).

Bazzell also credited the details of catching Susana’s top-end stuff with making his own receiving sharper. He said catching the right-hander has required cleaner glove load and faster, more precise set-and-gear movements because the intensity and pace of pitches delivered at triple-digit velocity changes how the game plays behind the plate.

The catcher’s season development story matters for why this matchup stands out. Bazzell, 23, transitioned fully to a one-knee-down approach after previously working out of the crouch and standing more often, an adjustment he linked to their receiving mechanics. His AFL workload comes after earlier setbacks, including being hit by a pitch in April that caused a broken left orbital bone and delayed his return until May 7.

On the offensive side, Bazzell brings a meaningful batting track record into the developmental circuit, with a.287/.389/.470 line, nine home runs and a 125 wRC+ over 66 combined games between High-A and Double-A during the regular season. He also worked on cutting his ground-ball rate and raising his pull rate as he looked to add authority when he does make contact.

For Bazzell, the immediate focus in the desert is simple. He said he hopes he never has to worry about whether Susana’s pitching is too good because his job is to catch it, and he wants to be in position to do that every day.

Why It Matters

For the Nationals’ farm system, repeated catcher-pitcher looks against a high-end prospect like Susana provide a realistic gauge of communication and receiving reads at high velocity.
Bazzell’s receiver development, including a full transition to the one-knee-down stance, is directly tested by Susana’s pace and pitch quality.
The AFL serves as a concentrated environment where prospect batteries refine daily skills, making this matchup a practical window into the readiness of both the pitcher and the catcher.
Susana’s documented velocity and pitch shape, paired with Bazzell’s emphasis on being “clean” with moves, highlights the fine margins separating standout prospect tools from game-ready execution.

Sources

Key Facts

Kevin Bazzell had not caught Jarlin Susana until Aug. 11, when Susana began a rehab outing after lat surgery.
Bazzell caught Susana again on Sept. 12 during the regular season, this time with Double-A Rochester.
In the Arizona Fall League, Bazzell has caught Susana three times, including a Salt River outing where Susana struck out six and allowed one earned run over three innings.
Susana’s October AFL showing included four-seam and sinker velocity sitting 100-101 mph and touching 102.4, plus a mid-80s breaking ball described by Bazzell as a power curveball.
Bazzell said the mechanics demands of catching Susana are making his receiving “more fine-tuned,” including getting set and glove load earlier.