DI and professional scouts are looking for the same basic tools in both positions. Pro will consider projection a lot more. College wants players who are ready.
College shortstops need to have outstanding fielding ability, a good arm, and athleticism. The ability to make all the plays is more important than running speed, size or projection. Many recruited shortstops end up playing other positions. Hitting ability is a premium at all positions other than pitching.
College catchers need to have good receiving ability and a good quick strong arm. Intelligence is very important. Size and projection is more important to pro scouts. Hitting ability and power are tools everyone likes.
The higher the college level, the more they look for the same thing the pro scouts are looking for… The biggest difference involving projection. The college doesn't want to take 3-5 years to develop a player, no matter how high his ceiling might appear to be. Of course, solid students are much more valuable to college coaches. Makeup is important in both college or pro, but college and pro might not always look for the exact same type of makeup. Colleges tend to put more emphasis on the good teammate, good kid types. The pros sometimes put a lot of emphasis on the tough, do anything to win, championship caliber types. However “Perfect” makeup for both college and pro would include all of the above and more.
Both colleges and pro scouts are most interested in those who are not afraid to play. Those who stay away from competition because they are satisfied with their current position and don’t want to take a chance on hurting their status or “stock” stick out like a sore thumb. Both college coaches and scouts know that sooner or later there is no place to hide. All players will be “exposed” nearly every day! So those who try to hide to protect their status are missing perhaps the most important ingredients of all… Confidence and Courage! Also they are showing one of the sure fire negatives that often results in failure… They are Satisfied!
Colleges want the best "now" player. The pros want the best "future" player. Often, this is the same player. Because of this, colleges will sometimes shy away from the very best because most early draft picks out of high school, don't end up in college. This creates a similar yet different signability concern for college coaches. Scouts do signabilities on players to determine the players interest in pro baseball and what round or what it will take for them to sign. This often determines which round they are selected or if they are even selected in the draft. On the other hand, college coaches need to determine the player’s interest in attending college and at the same time, determine how early that player might go in the draft.