Evaluating Throwing at the Catching Position

Evaluating Throwing at the Catching Position

The catching position is changing quickly just like the game of baseball. Most of this change is due to analytics and new ways to measure what truly matters in the catching position. Not too long ago though, throwing was perceived to be the most important part of the catching position. Rightfully so receiving has been proven to be king in regards to what is most important for a catcher. Despite these facts, throwing is still an important aspect of the catching position, even if it has taken a backseat to receiving. Today I will go over how to evaluate the kind of thrower that a catcher can be. A disclaimer though, do not bucket a catcher at the Middle School level, wait until he's a Junior in High School to get a better idea on what kind of thrower the catcher is. With that being said, the catcher can always improve his throwing skills while he matures. 

The most important part of throwing for a catcher is accuracy. If the catcher is not accurate with his throws then he adds no value to his Pop Time or velocity on his throws if he is inaccurate. Ways that catchers can work on improving accuracy is by staying directional with his momentum. Basic throwing fundamentals will cure any flaws for a catcher. A lot of catchers with throwing problems typically are either off balance with their feet or their front side is weak and is pulling either to the left or to the right. A cue I have often used is the catcher to pretend he's in a rectangular box that has an opening to where he is throwing. The goal for the catcher is to have his body go towards his target. If he has bad balance or a weak front side he will break the imaginary box and won't get out of the box properly. This cue has had success with catchers who I have worked with. With all of this being said, let's dive into the three levels that catchers are bucketed in based off of their strengths and weaknesses. 

The Throwing Levels

The first level are know as "elite throwers." Elite throwers are good at transitioning the ball out of the glove and also have a high velocity on their throws. These kinds of throwers are rare. Do not be discouraged if you are good at the transition and your velocity is average. The same rules apply for the opposite. 

The second level are "good" throwers. Good throwers are either good at transitioning and are average with throws, or they are average at transitioning and have good velocity on their throws. These throwers have their strengths and weaknesses. A key for success for these catchers are to improve the strengths and work with the average skill set of the other piece of the throwing puzzle. The majority of catchers are on this level and have had a ton of success at all levels of baseball. 

The last level are "poor' throwers. These catchers are poor at transitioning the ball out of the glove and have weak velocity on their throws. These catchers need to work on their throwing fundamentals and strengthen up their arms. 

Ways to Improve Weaknesses

If one of the weaknesses you have is a catcher is velocity on throws, then the catchers can use a system that involves long toss and weighted balls. The catcher can gain camaraderie with their pitchers by following the same throwing program that their pitchers are following. This builds trust and friendship among the pitcher and catcher, while also improving their arm strength. 

If the weakness of the catcher is transitioning the ball out of the glove, then the catcher needs to work on footwork. This makes the athlete a better athlete and also will improve proprioception. In other words, the catcher will understand the feeling of his body movements. 

I would be making a mistake if I did not go over what a quality Pop Time is for baseball. Overall a good Pop Time is around 2.0. That is the benchmark, obviously you want to go quicker than a 2.0, but if your catcher has a consistent Pop Time of 2.0 you should feel comfortable with that time as a coach. 

Understanding what kind of thrower you have behind the plate will only make the athlete better and give him a clearer path on how to improve as a catcher. Remember to not bucket the catcher at a young age. Wait until he is physically mature to bucket the athlete. Maturation can do a lot of good for the athlete so be patient. While you wait, work on throwing accuracy and solid fundamentals.