Braden
Fournie

Verbally committed to Lindenwood University.

C Braden Fournie (Belleville West, 2026; Lindenwood) is a 5-foot-10, 177-pound backstop with advanced defensive actions. Throughout gameplay, the defense was standout for the catcher out of Belleville East, Fournie flashed a 2.06 in game pop time, throwing two runners out at second in the first game of gameplay. At the plate, worked at-bats throughout and recorded a double in game two. Fournie stood out enough to commit to Lindenwood right after the event.

Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-10.9, 177-pounds. Strong, athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Wider base, no stride, quiet hands pre-pitch, fluid load, utilizes lower half. Simple, short to the ball, creates backspin, easy jump off the barrel, pull-side approach. 72.9 mph bat speed with 13g of rotational acceleration. Doubled in game two of the event.
Power: 100 mph max exit velocity (95.4 avg.); 369-foot max batted distance.
Arm: RH. C - 79 mph. Quick, compact 3/4 arm action, throws play with carry, accurate.
Defense: 1.95-2.02 pop time range; Natural defender, one-knee receiver, strong receiver with quick transfers, reliable blocker.
Athletic Testing: 7.07 runner in the 60-yard dash; 25.60-inch max vertical jump.
Vizual Edge: 62.85 Edge Score.

Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 61 in the state. Strong 5-foot-10, 160-pound frame. Started behind the plate and hit out of the four-hole. Fournie drew a walk in four plate appearances. The right-handed hitter operates from a wide, bent stance with no stride. Strong hands with an uphill bat path. Fournie was very impressive on defense. Showed off his advanced receiving abilities while also getting in front of balls in the dirt. Showed off his above average arm (T81 mph) by catching a runner at second base.

Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 61 in the state. Started behind the plate and hit out of the five-hole. Athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound with room to fill out. Fournie showed well defensively Monday afternoon. Operated from a standard two-knee stance. Showed a cannon of an arm on a back-pick to first base. Stole strikes as he framed multiple close pitches.

C/INF Braden Fournie (Belleville West, 2026) was amongst the day’s biggest winners. Uncommitted, and standing at a noticeably strong 5-foot-10, 160-pounds. Fournie grabbed our attention with how he caught ‘pens to start the day; showing to be an advanced receiver and a grinder behind the plate with his blocking and overall willingness to work hard for each pitcher he caught. The advanced actions during ‘pens translated over to the defensive portion of the workout where he posted an event-high 1.80 pop time, paired with a strong arm out of the chute reaching 81 mph. He completed his day with a loud batting practice showing; utilizing a simple, flat path he posted the second-best average distance (267 ft.) and max distance (366 ft.), while posting an average EV of 87.7 mph (T97.7). Fournie is a must-follow backstop in the southern part of the state for college coaches to monitor.

Braden Fournie, Belleville West (IL), 2026
Positional Profile: C/2B
Body: 5-10, 170-pounds. Athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Upright, narrow stance. Quiet, controlled actions. Small leg lift, medium stride. Uphill swing path. Looks to elevate the ball with feel for the barrel. Uses all fields with hard contact. 65.9 mph bat speed with 12 G's of rotational acceleration.
Power: 93 max exit velocity, averaged 88.3 mph. 367' max distance.
Arm: RH. C-76 mph. Quick OT arm action with carry and accuracy.
Defense: 2.00-2.02 pop times. Solid defender. Strong receiver with quick footwork and exchanges. Strong arm.
ATH: 27.10 max vertical.

C Braden Fournie (Belleville West, IL, 2026) had a strong showing at the GBA Scout Day earlier this month and he was arguably better in our latest look at this event. Fournie flashed more bat strength and raw power, juicing his deepest batted ball 367 feet, while averaging 317 feet per batted ball - both of which are considerable jumps from what we’d seen previously. Fournie averaged 88.3 mph per batted ball, which was higher than his previous max mark, and he squared his firmest ball up at 93.2 mph as well. Ultimately, Fournie’s biggest asset may be his glove, as he has advanced actions in all aspects behind the plate. He’s a soft receiver that’s also a willing blocker with a short, accurate arm that was on the bag consistently from a catch-and-throw perspective.

C Braden Fournie (Belleville West, 2026) is a left-handed hitting backstop that showed well on both sides of the ball at this event. Offensively, Fournie repeats a simple, balanced, and in-rhythm stroke that comfortably peppered line drives to all fields throughout his round. He’s advanced defensively behind the plate, with soft hands and a quick release that consistently played around the bag. Fournie’s hardest throw checked in at 76 mph and he popped a 1.95 on his quickest bullet.