5 Catcher Receiving Drills

Short Summary

1. Coach Madden and Kyle Schmidt discuss modern catching techniques, focusing on new receiving methods for catchers.
2. They emphasize starting from a knee position to optimize the catcher’s setup and improve ball presentation to the umpire.
3. Specific drills are introduced to enhance receiving skills, highlighting the use of tools and equipment like a mini mitt and weighted mitt for practice.
4. The importance of maintaining a balanced and anchored position on the plate is stressed to enhance visibility for the umpire while receiving pitches.
5. Techniques for presenting a baseball to an umpire using various types of weighted gloves are discussed, including keeping the glove close to flat.
6. The speaker explains how using a weighted glove can improve forearm, wrist, arm strength, and hand speed, comparing different sizes of gloves for training effectiveness.
7. Strategies for catching inside and outside pitches are covered, with an emphasis on glove positioning and movement to receive pitches favorably.
8. The importance of pitch framing is highlighted, with catchers encouraged to present pitches on the edges of the strike zone to potentially get calls.
9. The discussion includes the significance of anticipating pitches and keeping training simple to improve receiving skills.
10. The speaker concludes by advocating for prioritizing pitch receiving skills over other aspects like blocking and throwing to maximize a catcher’s value to their team.