Mastering the Baseball Catcher Position: A Guide for Players

One of the most demanding positions in baseball is the catcher position. Catchers must call pitches, block the plate, know how to frame pitches, and understand the tendencies of hitters. They perform their defensive duties mostly by squatting behind the plate, which is physically taxing.

Let’s examine the roles, responsibilities, and special equipment that catchers use.

A Catcher’s Responsibilities

The primary job of a catcher is to receive throws from the pitcher. They are set up behind the plate usually in a squat. The pitcher stands 60 feet 6 inches from the catcher on a 10-inch mound. The pitcher is throwing to a hitter, who’s in a chalked off area called the batter’s box. A catcher kneels directly behind the batter wearing protective equipment to receive the pitches. Catchers must have strong legs, hips, and glutes. Good reflexes are required, and they also need a strong arm. When a runner tries to steal a base, it’s the catcher’s job to try to throw the runner out. For instance, if a runner on first base breaks for second with a batter up, the catcher must make a throw from home to second base, where either the shortstop or second baseman will catch the ball and try to tag the runner out before they get to the base. A catcher must also field balls that are popped up around home plate. Catchers are part of the regular hitting lineup, too.

Calling Pitches

Another role for catchers is to sometimes help select the types of pitches a pitcher will throw to each batter. Often, the catcher relays pitching choices from the pitching coach, who is on the bench. Pitchers typically use 3 or 4 pitches. For instance, a pitcher could have a fastball, a curve, and a slider. A fastball is a pitch thrown as fast as possible, a curve is a ball that loops or drops when it gets to the batter, and a slider is a hard curveball. Catchers work directly with pitchers on calling pitches. The catcher and pitcher study the batter’s tendencies and plan for what pitches to use against individual hitters.

For instance, a catcher would call for curveballs on the outside part of the plate for a hitter who struggles with that pitch. Usually, catchers use their fingers to signal what type of pitch they want thrown. It could be 1 for a curveball, 2 for a slider, and 3 for a fastball. Catchers must do their best to disguise their signals, so the opposing team doesn’t figure them out. Frequently, they change signals from inning to inning. In 2022, MLB approved an electronic device that signals the type of pitch the catcher wants thrown. The catcher presses a button, and the pitcher, who’s wearing an earpiece, can hear the call. When a pitcher “shakes off” the call from a catcher, it’s a signal for a different pitch. Pitchers shake off the call by moving their heads back and forth.

Framing Pitches

Learning how to frame a pitch is important. It’s the art of making a ball or a pitch thrown outside the strike zone look like a strike. The strike zone is an area between the top of a player’s shoulder to their knee cap. Generally, pitchers want to throw strikes to get the batter out, but sometimes they purposely throw balls to confuse hitters.

For every pitch, a catcher holds their glove in the spot where they want their pitcher to throw the ball. For an inside high pitch, a catcher would hold his glove high and inside, sometimes out of the strike zone. That means the catcher is purposely asking the pitcher to throw a ball outside to see if they can get the batter to swing at it even though it’s not a strike. Catchers are trained to subtly move their glove into the strike zone right after they catch it. This legal deception can fool an umpire into calling a ball slightly out of the zone a strike. Good catchers can consistently convert borderline balls into strikes.

Equipment & Protective Gear

From the beginning, safety was always a concern for catchers. Foul tips, balls thrown into the dirt, and even occasionally getting thumped by a hitter’s bat are all part of the occupational hazard. The earliest safety equipment dates to the 1870s when a mouth protector, which eventually evolved into a catcher’s mask, was used. Today, the full complement of catcher’s equipment also includes a specialized mitt, a chest protector, and shin guards. Below is a description of the type of equipment catchers typically use.

Catcher’s Mitt: A catcher’s mitt is a large, elongated mitt that’s usually made with leather. It’s designed so catchers can field pitches thrown into the dirt or off-target. Most catcher’s mitts have closed webbing at the top between the thumb and forefingers to help them catch errant pitches. Webbing is a square that’s a separate component from the rest of the mitt. Regular fielding mitts typically have closed or open webbing, depending on the position and the player’s style. Open means there are small windows in the mitt at the top. It’s usually easier to smother a baseball in the dirt with a closed web mitt.
Chest Protector: Usually made of a lightweight foamy material that covers a catcher's chest, shoulders, and stomach, a chest protector is designed to soften the impact of balls that bounce in the dirt and sometimes hit catchers between their waist and shoulders and for foul tips from batters that hit the catcher’s chest. Some pitches in Major League Baseball travel over 100 miles per hour. A good chest protector is lightweight, durable, and fits snugly around your upper body.
Shin Guards: Because catchers must squat in their defensive position, they wear shin guards to protect their knee areas. Shin guards start at the front of your knee and run over your feet. Shin guards, first used in 1884, were the last protective equipment added to a catcher’s armor. Catchers wore them after pitchers switched from throwing underhand to overhand. Catchers moved closer to the batters when overhand pitching was implemented. That left them vulnerable to foul tips that hit their knees.
Catcher’s Mask: Catcher’s masks are designed to protect the head and neck area from foul balls. They’re traditionally made of a foam that fits around your head and neck area. Wire mesh guards your face. Most major league catchers use a hockey-style mask. It’s a hard plastic mask that covers your head and neck with wire mesh. The first known catcher’s mask was made of leather and wire mesh in 1877.

Tips & Drills for Catchers

Practice is imperative to learn how to be a good catcher. Below are 3 drills you can do to improve your skills.

Throwing Drill: Place 6 balls around home plate. Squat and then get up quickly and throw the ball to second base as fast as possible. You’ll need someone to catch the throws. The goal is to get the ball out of your hands quickly and to make an accurate throw.
Blocking Drills: This drill can be done with or without catcher’s equipment. Have someone purposely throw balls in the dirt on both sides of the catcher and in front of them. Practice fielding those balls with control. If you aren’t using equipment, the balls shouldn’t be thrown hard. If the coaches are throwing a ball at the players, equipment is required.
Framing Drill: Get into your catcher’s crouch and set up with your bare hand outside of the strike zone. Have someone toss a baseball to you. Without moving your body, catch the ball. Once you’ve caught the ball, move your hand into the strike zone as fluidly as possible. The goal is to make the move imperceptible to the umpire. For a pitch that is high, you’d bring your hand down slightly. For an inside or outside pitch, you’ll move your hand slightly back into the zone.

Learning to be a good catcher can take years of practice and game experience. The earlier you start studying the skills that make a good catcher, the better chance you’ll have of mastering the position.