Recruiting video for a catcher

I would say all of the standard stuff:

Receiving pitches (during a live bullpen or from a machine, not lobbed balls in a drill)
Blocking and recovering the ball
Throwing to 2B (It's best to have a few different angles - one from the front so that we can see mechanics, but one from the side as well...I want to time it myself with my own stopwatch and it's a lot easier to get an accurate pop time when the view isn't directly in front of or behind the catcher)
Hitting
All the vital stats (Name, age, grades, test scores, contact info.)

Hope that helps!

Thanks, Coach. I didn't believe what the guy was telling me, and your list makes all the sense in the world.

The one thing I would add is to get video on him throwing down to 2B in a live game. As a HS coach this seems to be the 1 thing that college coaches have asked to see on video every time I talk to them about catchers. The reasoning I was given is that in a showcase situation catchers cheat because they know they are throwing down as opposed to reacting in a live game.

Good point. My son actually looks better in a live game anyway. I think he tends to think too much in the showcase environment.

Here's a helpful link from Jay's (CCJR) website:

http://www.catchingcamp.com/bl...-video-for-catchers/

Here is a video my son and I came up with. I know its missing some things but most of the coaches he has sent it to have responded well.

Video

quote:

Originally posted by wbethea13:
Here is a video my son and I came up with. I know its missing some things but most of the coaches he has sent it to have responded well.

Video

Not a bad video but hard to see some things. I think your kid can play and has some talent.

When he was hitting in the cage was that off a machine or an arm? I don't think I saw any opposite field shots but it was hard to see. A machine typically throws it in a small area and it might be hard to go oppo. There was one swing near the end of the cage session and halfway through the video where he does bar his arm in what looks like he's trying to turn on a ball on the outer half. I may be wrong on that but it did look like it some. He does have a tendency from the cage shots to slightly over rotate his backside. There's a thread discussing it in the hitting forum you may want to check out. The hitting on the field looked really nice and looks like he has some pop.

The catching looks pretty good and he has what looks like a pretty quick release. Hard to judge pop time from the video so I'm not going to try and guess. My personal opinion is that he's a little tall when he throws. I like it when a catcher throws from a more athletic position with legs bent at the knees and hips. I feel it provides more power from the legs to be generated. Others disagree with me and that's cool but my catchers do a great job in throwing with a lower / athletic stance. The last two throws it looks like he drops his elbow slightly below his shoulder.

If you don't mind me asking but has anybody made him any offers yet? I like him.

Hey Coach I sent you a PM, kind of long. I appreciate the kind words, as I said in the PM im not a baseball guy so telling him what he does wrong is hard for me to do. Thanks for the input!! I made some changes to the video, not many though.

Recruiting Video

I'm no expert, and my interest was peaked as my 12 YO son is a catcher and just moved up to the big diamond, and joined a 14u team.

Okay, feel free to ignore with prejudice. He's a catcher, start with him catching, multiple angles, receiving pitches, dropping and blocking, and the all important snap throws and throw-down to 2B. I'd mix-in game situations (and can you get closer and unobstructed views) and skill-type drills. Too much time on hitting in the cage, and I'm no expert, but I'd like to see different angles and see where the balls goes a bit, if possible. I mean, why not pitch to him from an L-screen and move angles, and mix in live game footage, and edit-out the hooting and hollering (and I'd be guilty of this BIG time) if you can. Distracting.

Looks like a very athletic catcher, impressive. Best of luck!

Yeah its hard to get a good video because I travel alot with my job. The whole hollering thing I meant to take the sound off but got caught up in the moment..lol Thanks for the input, like i stated I know its not the best but a starting point.