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16 replies

Importance of hitting for catchers

Batty67Batty675,000+ posts
Of course it is important! My son is almost 14 and has been the starting catcher of his (now disbanded due to JV baseball) 15u travel team. He spent 3 seasons on the team and had a truly wonderful experience. Great kids, coaches, and instruction. He made the team based on his recieving and blocking ability as well as his hitting. Perhaps it helped being the only lefty bat in the line-up...

He's been working with a quasi coach of the former team who is also the hitting instructor for a powerhouse highschool. Excellent experience, instruction, and results (and price too, I actually started paying him more than he asked!). Tomorrow is his 5th weekly lesson. The coach has semi-jokingly told my son: "catchers who can hit will not sit."

At the highschool level, and all things being equal (and they never are), how important is hitting ability for catchers compared to defensive abilty, arm strength/throw-downs, leadership, ability to be an on-field pitching coach, etc.?

Thanks.
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bballdad2016bballdad20161,000+ posts
JV catcher for our HS team was not hitting the ball well so we DH'd for him last year. Didn’t have many other options because the #2 catcher did not have the blocking skills and arm strength to hold runners.

This year it looks like we have 2-3 freshman catchers that will be trying out. They all seem to block and receive the ball well, but are way behind when it comes to their bats and arm strength. We may convert one of our third basemen (who was a catcher at one point) to be our catcher. Has a good arm, and a great bat. Blocking and recieving is average but will get better with practice and time behind the plate.

As the old saying goes, the best nine bats start the game.
C cabbagedadHSBaseballWeb member since 2011
quote:
Originally posted by Batty67:
At the highschool level, and all things being equal (and they never are), how important is hitting ability for catchers compared to defensive abilty, arm strength/throw-downs, leadership, ability to be an on-field pitching coach, etc.?

Thanks.


At the HS level, the most important aspects of catching are, first, the ability to prevent runners from advancing and, second, giving the pitcher confidence in his ability to throw his best stuff.

If the opposition can run on a catcher because of a weak arm, slow POP time or too many passed balls, this changes the complexion of a game tremendously. If a catcher can't block breaking balls, help his P work the zone and keep his P in the game mentally, this is a disaster as well. These two areas will usually have far more impact on a game than a catcher getting a few hits.

A few hits may equal two, three, maybe four bases. If a C can't hold runners and block well, the damage is usually far worse.

Of course, if you have two good defensive C's, the hitter gets the nod.
Last edited by cabbagedad
B 4baseknock100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Batty67:
At the highschool level, and all things being equal (and they never are), how important is hitting ability for catchers compared to defensive abilty, arm strength/throw-downs, leadership, ability to be an on-field pitching coach, etc.?


Low importance as defensive skills are more important for the various reasons others have brought up. PLUS, most HS programs have trouble fielding 5 very strong hitters let alone 9. Thus, it very likely that a very strong defensive catcher with a below average stick will find regular playing time as it is not like there are 5 great sticks sitting on the bench.
TD 3 T's Dad100+ posts

I can tell you from the recruiting journey of my 2013 catcher, hitting is very important.

 

Coaches and recruiters often used words like game stopper and show stopper when they seen him play over the fall, consistently threw 1.80 to 1.84 pops and averaged 1 thrown out trying to steal and 1 picked at 1st for getting to big of a lead.

 

Hitting on the other hand wasn't a issue in our eyes, hit for average and a good gap to gap hitter. Always a lead off or 2 whole hitter. As for college coaches and recruiters,all mid level D-1, were all looking for the power hitting catcher and most told him they would follow him this spring to see if his hitting improved. Major D-1's showed no interest at all.

 

NAIA and JUCO coaches were more than happy. Ended up signing at a JUCO on the advise of a D-1 coach to work on hitting. Finished last high school season with a 431 average 0 homeruns and ranked 19th in the NOLA Metro Area Large Schools in batting average.

 

Confusing to say the least.

P ProudDad3110+ posts
With my son entering high school this fall already throwing under 2.0 I felt pretty good about his chances for some D1 consideration. But it sounds like he needs to now be a power hitter as well. He hit about five balls 350 last year at 12u but not sure where he'll be in four years. I'd rather he be a high average hitter with great speed than a power hitter. We're trying to get him to not swing for the fences. Now what do I do?
CollegeParentNoMoreCollegeParentNoMore1,000+ posts

I think most D1 college coaches are scouting for kids that look like they'll be able to hit/handle college level pitching and often times thats the HS kid hitting the ball with authority, not the kid dinking the ball here and there.  I am not sure a kid has to hit alot of HR in HS, however a lot of singles won't get much  attention.    You need to put a good swing on the pitches you swing at.  I think in the younger years you need to be careful to not intimidate your kid into becoming a passive hitter and/or just trying to put the ball in play.  imho you want your kid to be an aggressive hitter, his coach will tell him if he wants him to take etc...

 

Advice my son got from a pro scout was swing early, swing often, swing hard. 

web's dadweb's dad10+ posts

Web won the starting job as a junior at his HS, a top program in NorCal, but they DH'd for him. It was his defense that got the job for him. He worked very hard on defense maybe to the detriment of hitting.

 

As a senior, he concentrated on just having good AB's, ended up leading his team in BA (for what that's worth).

 

I felt that he would play at a D3 but he ended up in D1.I think that there is always a place for an excellent defensive catcher. With BBCOR bats, more schools are emphasizing defense. He just wants to compete for a starting job, he's getting that chance now.

O OkieDad100+ posts

I agree with web's dad.  BBCOR bats are putting more emphasis on premium defense all over the field, especially behind the plate.  Teams have to manufacture runs, increasing the need for catchers that can throw out baserunners, defend bunts around the plate and minimize extra bases by blocking.  Many schools/colleges have taken the approach in the past of finding a good hitter and teaching him to catch but BBCOR will continue to shift things more towards finding a great defensive catcher and teaching him to hit. Everyone would love to have a kid that can do both but a good defensive catcher is more important than ever.    

E excoach110+ posts
I have to disagree on some of the comments....I think the first thing a catcher needs to do is to make sure the pitchers have confidence in the catcher's ability, especially blocking balls in the dirt -change-ups, curves, etc for a third strike.
 
In high school, especially at the JV level, most kids steal on the pitcher.  Yes it's nice to have a catcher with the defensive ability to "prevent" runners from advancing, but it isn't always the catcher's ability or inability that let's kids run free. My son (who is a D1 committ and is a catcher) has a pop time that is consistently well below 1.9 seconds and is very acurate with his throws to second.  Yet, there are a few pitchers on his high school team that cannot hold runners close and that makes it nearly impossible to make the play at second close.
 
There is more to catching than pop-time. D1 scouts won't even look at a kid whose poptime is above 1.9.  BUT...Throwing 1.8 into center field does nobody any good.  If they cannot block a ball in the dirt or cannot move right or left in croutch, the scouts will go elsewhere, even with a 1.8 arm. Also, scouts analyze foot work, ball transfer, how they manage a pitcher/game, etc.  They also love a catcher that frames a pitch well, and that means more than just catching it and holding the glove....Too many parents think if their son is below 1.9, they'll go D1.  This's only the tip of the iceberg... Hitting, for example is also very important part of the equation.  If a kid can't hit, he better be at 1.75, blocking everything, calling a great game, be 6'4", etc if he wants to get a look at playing in college (Sorry to run on...)
 
As far as catchers (and all high school players) and hitting is concerned --- If a player, any player, cannot hit, he will be DH'd for. Most high school mangers (right or wrong) will put their top 9 or 10 hitters in the line-up and make due on the defensive side.  This is more important with the BBCOR bats than it has been in the past as runs are limited and a manager want to put in the kids that give him the highest probability of getting on base.
Last edited by excoach1
TD 3 T's Dad100+ posts

I agree excoach, pitchers do need to feel confident that they have someone behind the plate that can block, receive, frame and control the running game. Holding runners close is also a very important part of controlling the running game and if a pitcher can do that it makes it that much easier for the catcher to do his part.

While working out for the JUCO my son signed with the coach mirrored most of what you said about blocking and framing, his words were I don't care if you throw 1.5's if you cant block, receive and frame pitches then you'll be in the bullpen.

He even told him after he hit that his hitting will come around because we will get you stronger and if you can do the job behind the plate and we need to DH for you until it does, then we will. Bounced one off left center at 380, one to dead center that fell in the warning track at 400, 2 out over left. but the other 20 or so were that gap to gap line drive.

On his high school team it's all about getting on base and those type hitters are fine. And if he hits like he did in his work out this season, he will be fine.

I should have included in my original post is that son is 6'2 and a whopping 175lbs and most comments on hitting by D1 coaches also included comments about his weight. If he was a middle infielder he would be fine.

C cabbagedadHSBaseballWeb member since 2011
Originally Posted by excoach1:
I have to disagree on some of the comments....I think the first thing a catcher needs to do is to make sure the pitchers have confidence in the catcher's ability, especially blocking balls in the dirt -change-ups, curves, etc for a third strike....
 
excoach,
First, congrats on your son's recruiting success.
Next, I did see your post before you changed it... you featured my post as the one you disagreed with.  No problem, but I would have to disagree back.  The OP's question was specifically regarding HS.  My answer was specifically regarding HS.  I did take the liberty of assuming HS varsity.
We have had catchers in our system who were technically very strong when it came to receiving, could block balls in the dirt all day and frame very nicely.  But sub-par arm strength and accuracy and slow reaction and/or footwork meant that most teams could run on them a lot.  They couldn't prevent runners from advancing and thus the team could not be successful with them behind the dish against a competitive team.  At the varsity level, yes, some runners will steal off pitchers but most varsity P's are at least adequate with varying looks, pick moves and slide steps to the point where a catcher with a sub-2 POP like your son's could control the running game reasonably well.  I'm sorry your son's HS did not have that with their pitchers.  I have seen a wide range of size and competitive levels of varsity HS and I haven't seen much of that except for the very weakest programs.
You said "Most high school mangers (right or wrong) will put their top 9 or 10 hitters in the line-up and make due on the defensive side."  In several years of coaching HS ball, that has certainly not been the norm from my observations as it pertains to the catcher position.  Maybe it's just a regional thing... just like refering to HS coaches as managers. 
Batty67Batty675,000+ posts

I'm the OP and I approve this thread. And for reference, from my point of view, the focus is JV baseball.

 

My son will be 14 in 2 weeks and has had to "drop-back" to a local 14u team while his 15u (and most excellent) team disbands for the Spring to play JV ball (he's in 8th grade). He's, so far, not digging the sharp drop in velocity, curveball consistency/accuracy with the younger pitchers, and has gotten some grief over his insistence on sticking with his BBCOR bat when he could ditch it for a much lighter one. I truly hope his former team will reform come the summer.

 

As far as his catching skills, for his age he is an excellent blocker, receives very well, calls a good game, and is a very good hitter with some power. As you would expect for a 14 YO, his throws to 2B need work. But I've always stressed his hitting at the plate, not just defense behind the plate.

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