Baseball Catching Skills

PRIMARY STANCE (No Runners On)

When there are no runners on, the catching stance should be a comfortable crouch, compact and relaxed.

Move your entire body to the location of the desired pitch, with your off-hand behind your back.

SECONDARY STANCE (Runners On)

Any time there is a threat of a runner stealing, you should be in the secondary stance. Secondary receiving position catcher has feet slightly wider then primary position. Heals are on the ground, toes pointed up the lines and the off-hand should be in a tight fist behind the glove.

Catcher has come up in crouch so thighs are parallel to ground. This is approx. Goal is to get out of deep crouch and “unlock hips’ to allow for a quick explosive move towards second. Staying in deep crouch requires first move to be “up” and that will waste time.

SETUP

Catched should begin setting up as close to the batter as possible. A good rule of thumb is to set up so that your fully extended glove hand (including glove) can touch the batter’s back elbo.

Move to the location of the pitch as the pitcher begins his motion and not before. Get your glove up and give the pitcher a target as early as possible. Target the bottom of the zone of a called pitch unless the call is for a high pitch in which case the target will be the top of the zone.

SIGNS

When signaling, you need to conceal the signals as you relay them to the pitcher. To do this, your legs should be kept closed, and protect the signs with the glove-hand hanging below the glove side knee. Your signal hand must also be kept in your crotch and not dangling below.

Signaling must be clear. Spread your fingers when giving signals. When communicating #2 or #3, use fingers that are separated rather than ones directly next to one another for easier viewing.
Also remember there are other ways of signaling. You do not have to use your fingers to relay the signs, a touch system or glove position system works just as well. Always allow the pitcher to give input.

FRAMING THE PITCH

When framing, you need to extend your arm, go get the ball, and hold the ball for the umpire to see. Roll your wrists toward the plate, but don’t pull the ball. Roll and extend in a smooth manner and avoid jerking or snapping the glove.

Only frame on strikes and borderline strikes. If the ball is outside the zone, just catch it and throw it back to the pitcher.
On low pitches, roll your wrists upwards. It is important to give the umpire a good view. The catcher and the umpire need to work together.

BLOCKING THE WILD PITCH

The purpose of blocking is NOT to catch the ball with their glove. While some balls may very well go directly into their gloves their goal should be to use the glove to block the ball from going between their legs. Any balls that would be higher then that should be allowed to hit them and bounce forward.

When blocking a baseball it is important to get both knees on the ground as quickly as possible. Do not hop up and then hit the ground. Put your glove back against your cup with your fingers down. Do not put your hand on the ground because this will create a ramp for the ball to hit and continue in a forward motion. You want to create a barrier for the ball to bounce off.

The shoulders should be kept square to the ball. The eyes are fixed, tracking the ball from where it hit the ground to the point where it hits the catcher on the chest. As soon as you feel the impact of the ball you must pop back up into the catching position and then immediately fetch the ball. Use the scoop method (two hands) to gather in the ball.

FIELDING BUNTS

When fielding bunts, you need to always use two hands and scoop the ball. Don’t try to pick it up with one hand. When the ball is down the first base line or up the middle, circle the ball and overstep it. The ball should be between your legs. Scoop the ball with your body angled towards first base. Next, step back from the baseline and throw the ball to the inside or the outside part of the bag, which ever is communicated.

If the ball is down the third base line, you need to come around it with your back towards first base and overstep, to scoop the ball with your body angled toward first base.

FIELDING POP-UPS

When fielding pop-ups, you need to find the ball and remove your mask, keeping it in hand, and turn back to the infield. Once you find it, get under the ball and throw your mask away. You must call the ball before it starts to decend. As the catcher, you need to remember that infielders have priority over the catcher on pop-ups because it is easier for them to catch.

HOLDING RUNNERS ON

As the catcher, you need to keep runners off balance. You need to be accurate, quick and strong. You need to be able to make snap throws. It is important to make the runners think. To hold runners on, the catcher must always communicate with infielders on pick-offs.