The catcher is the defensive leader for his team on the baseball field. In order to do everything that is expected, a catcher must block balls in the dirt, throw out runners who attempt to steal bases and call pitches that are appropriate for the opposing batter, the pitcher's abilities and the game situations. Coaches can give catchers drills that will help them improve.
Blocking Balls in the Dirt
Catchers need to work on blocking poor pitches. When the ball is thrown in the dirt, the catcher must shift his weight to the right or left, get his catcher's mitt down in a position between his legs and get as much of his body in front of the ball as possible. This will keep the ball in front of him. During a drill, a coach will stand 20 to 30 feet in front of the catcher and toss one-hoppers to his right and left and the catcher will need to keep these pitches in front of him.
Stolen Base Drill
The throw from the catcher to second or third base in order to stop a runner who is attempting to steal a base must feature a quick release and accuracy. Once the catcher receives the ball cleanly from the pitcher, he must bring it up to ear level and snap-release the ball toward the base. In order to make sure the throw is online, the ball must come from an overhand delivery. Make 10 throws to second and five throws to third as a drill to improve your throwing.
Foul Pop-ups
The pop-up is one of the most difficult plays for young catchers. When you are positioned behind the plate and a batter directs a foul pop-up straight over head, it can be difficult to follow. The first move a catcher should make is to take off the mask and locate the ball. Throw your mask in the opposite direction of your move so you don't trip over it. The coach can hit high pop-ups to the catcher, but it can be tough to mimic the action of the ball hit by a batter in a game. Still, the more comfortable the catcher gets when he takes off his mask, the better he will do in game competiton. Hit the catcher 10 foul pop-ups to help him improve.
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