Catcher’s Guide: How To Catch Pop-Ups At Home Plate

A baseball catcher has many responsibilities to take care of throughout the course of a baseball game. One of these is catching pop-ups hit behind and around the plate. These are some of the hardest plays to make in baseball, but remembering a few important tips will make the job a lot easier.

When a pop-up is hit behind home plate, there will be an incredible amount of spin on the ball. This will cause the ball to drift a bit, usually towards the field. The catcher needs to keep this in mind so as to avoid chasing after a drifting ball. Also as a result of the spin, the ball will want to jump out of the mitt when the catcher receives it. This is why it is imperative the catcher uses both hands to catch the pop-up.

After a pop-up has been hit above the plate, the catcher will want to remove his mask to allow for a better line of vision. To prevent tripping over his mask, he will want to throw it out of the way of where the ball will land. To properly execute this part of the play, the catcher should remove his mask as soon as he recognizes there is a pop-up. Once he finds the ball in the air, he should toss his mask in the opposite direction of where he thinks the ball will land. Failing to throw the mask far enough away may result in the catcher tripping over it.

Once the catcher has removed his mask, he must begin to get in the proper position to catch the ball. Because the ball will be drifting, it is advantageous for the catcher to turn his back towards the field. By doing this, it will be more like catching an ordinary pop fly. If the catcher tries to catch the ball while facing the field, he will find himself constantly drifting towards the ball.

To catch the ball, the catcher should try to catch it with his mitt over his head rather than below the waist. Catching the ball above the head allows for a stronger squeeze to prevent the ball from popping out of the mitt. However, if worse comes to worse and catching the ball over his head is impossible, receiving the ball below the waist with two hands will typically be acceptable.

Since many of these pop-ups will be high in the air, the pitcher may decide he wants to field the ball. In this situation, the catcher needs to take charge and communicate with the pitcher. Typically, the catcher should field these pop-ups unless the ball has drifted out near the pitcher’s mound. The pitcher should be the last person to field a pop-up, especially if another player can get into position to make the play.

Performing these steps correctly can help a catcher make the crucial plays in a game that can make all the difference. A pop-up behind the plate are “gimme” outs and failing to make the play will give the opposing team another chance at the plate.