The Importance of Catch Play

Whether you are a coach or player, understanding the importance of catch play is pivotal to your success. Often, it's the difference between winning and losing, starting or coming off the bench, or making the team or not. I remember my high school coach saying, "If you can't play catch, you can't play baseball!" Once we understand its importance, we can focus on how to improve.

As an infielder, we need to be able to execute all sorts of throws under different types of pressure. Whether it's just throwing the ball around after a strike out, or throwing a speedy runner out on a slow roller, we want to be prepared. Practice these throws with intent.

As an outfielder, understanding distance and spin is very important. Figuring out how your ball skips on a long hop and familiarizing yourself with your arm strength are essential. Work on developing straight backspin so your throws stay true and bounce straight. Practice long toss with purpose. On the pull-downs, work on your long hops.

Keep an eye out for my throwing sequence and four-corner catch videos soon!