😷 CATCHING & CATCHER DRILLS

Partners 25-30 feet apart. Every throw must be caught with two hands - glove secures, bare hand covers immediately. No one-hand catches allowed. Coach watches for lazy hands and calls them out.

Partners 20 feet apart. Focus on the catch-to-throw transfer. Catch the ball, move it to throwing hand, and get to throwing position as fast as possible - but don't rush the actual throw. Emphasis on quick HANDS, not quick throws.

Partners 25-30 feet apart. Thrower tosses ball, receiver must say "BALL-BALL-BALL" out loud while tracking it, then "CATCH" as they catch it. Forces eyes to stay on the ball. Variation: mark balls with colored dots - receiver calls out the color before catching.

Practice two stances: (1) Sign stance - squat deep, knees together to hide signs, glove blocks view from third base. (2) Receiving stance - more athletic, weight on balls of feet, butt up higher, ready to move. Transition between them on command.

Modern alternative — one-knee receiving stance: with no runners on, glove-side knee down, throwing-side foot flat. Used by ~80% of MLB catchers now and increasingly taught in youth ball. Lowers the eye level for better low-strike framing and is easier on the legs over a long game. Switch to the traditional two-foot receiving stance with runners on (need mobility to throw and block). Worth introducing if a kid catches regularly.

Catcher in receiving stance. Coach throws pitches to different locations. Catcher catches and "sticks" the ball - hold it still for a beat, don't yank it toward the zone. At 9-10, focus on CATCHING the ball cleanly first - framing is secondary.

Catcher in stance. Coach bounces balls in the dirt from 20 feet. Catcher drops to knees, glove fills the "5 hole" (between legs), chest absorbs the ball, chin tucks. Progress from directly in front to left and right.

Catcher receives pitch from coach. Stand up, get balanced, and make an ACCURATE throw to second base. Shortstop or second baseman gives target. At 9-10, prioritize accuracy over speed - a good throw beats a fast bad one every time.

For bunts: catcher sprints out, fields the ball with two hands, turns toward first, throws. For pop-ups: locate the ball, tear off mask, find ball again, catch with two hands. Pop-ups drift back toward field - turn and face the infield to catch.

Catcher receives the pitch and throws to third. The footwork is different from the throw to second because a right-handed batter is in the way. Teach the quick jab-step behind the plate to clear the batter, or stepping in front - whichever gets a clean throwing lane. Add a third baseman giving a low target for the tag.

Now that the mechanics are clean, work on getting quicker WITHOUT rushing the throw. The speed comes from the feet and the exchange, not from a harder arm. Catch, quick transfer to the throwing hand near the ear, "replace" the feet (right foot steps to where the left was), and throw. Do short sets so the legs and exchange stay crisp.

Pairs with the fielders' First-and-Third Defense drill, from the catcher's eyes. Runner on first steals; catcher decides: throw through to second, fake and hold the runner at third, or throw to the cut man. Also rep the pitch-out - pitcher throws high-and-outside on a signal so the catcher is standing and ready to throw. Keep it to your team's one or two defaults.