Catching prospect camps for pitchers

[FB Fool]

My 13 year old DD was asked to catch a pitcher at a college prospect camp in January. The pitcher is obviously 3-4 years older and throws 59-61, which is about 5mph harder than her one teammate. She caught her once during fall conditioning and said how much her off speed moves. My concern/question is how important is it for the catcher to make the pitcher look good, ie framing pitches, sticking moving pitches, blocking, etc. or do the college coaches look past the catchers abilities? my hope is to get them together a couple times prior, but im still a little anxious about the situation.

 

[RADcatcher]

My 13 year old DD was asked to catch a pitcher at a college prospect camp in January. The pitcher is obviously 3-4 years older and throws 59-61, which is about 5mph harder than her one teammate. She caught her once during fall conditioning and said how much her off speed moves. My concern/question is how important is it for the catcher to make the pitcher look good, ie framing pitches, sticking moving pitches, blocking, etc. or do the college coaches look past the catchers abilities? my hope is to get them together a couple times prior, but im still a little anxious about the situation.

Nice that she was asked to catch! May I ask who asked her to be the catcher?

Would suggest getting in more time with pitchers who are throwing harder. And if you know this pitcher, it's time to get working with her atleast once a week before the event. Two or more better.

As to what the college Camp will be looking at.
They should be able to discern the difference between the pitchers productivity and what the catcher is doing.
That said, I do think that a catcher can help or hurt a pitchers performance outcome,
but the coaches/evaluators should be able to distinctively see what either is doing.
( have seen it happen at camps where they reassigned who was pitching and catching to which players for different perspectives of results)

Reflecting on balls and strikes.
Umpires are tasked with that also.
* regarding the pitch or what the catcher is doing.
However they are not specifically looking at some of the details coaches
/evaluators may be looking at as far as mechanical performance and consistency.

Another consideration is there are different ways catchers are receiving pitches and for that (again) the coaches/evaluators should be able to discern differences.

 

[Nuwin]

Curious to read other's thoughts.

My gut reaction is you shouldn't be able to fool the college coaches on the pitcher's behalf. If you can, good for the pitcher I guess? Red flag if that coach is still around when DD is of age... lol.

And I won't pretend to know the legalities of recruiting, but seems like an opportunity to show your skills regardless and get your name on someone's radar early. I wouldn't worry about the pitcher. Just be the best you possible as that's all that is under your control anyway.

 

[FB Fool]

Nice that she was asked to catch! May I ask who asked her to be the catcher?

Would suggest getting in more time with pitchers who are throwing harder. And if you know this pitcher, it's time to get working with her atleast once a week before the event. Two or more better.

As to what the college Camp will be looking at.
They should be able to discern the difference between the pitchers productivity and what the catcher is doing.
That said, I do think that a catcher can help or hurt a pitchers performance outcome,
but the coaches/evaluators should be able to distinctively see what either is doing.
( have seen it happen at camps where they reassigned who was pitching and catching to which players for different perspectives of results)

Reflecting on balls and strikes.
Umpires are tasked with that also.
* regarding the pitch or what the catcher is doing.
However they are not specifically looking at some of the details coaches
/evaluators may be looking at as far as mechanical performance and consistency.

Another consideration is there are different ways catchers are receiving pitches and for that (again) the coaches/evaluators should be able to discern differences.

Thanks for the feedback. The pitcher asked my daughter this weekend, but i should reach out to her dad to make sure that's what he wants too. They just meet at high school conditioning in October and hopefully they will be teammates this spring, so now would be a good time to build some chemistry.

 

[FB Fool]

Curious to read other's thoughts.

My gut reaction is you shouldn't be able to fool the college coaches on the pitcher's behalf. If you can, good for the pitcher I guess? Red flag if that coach is still around when DD is of age... lol.

And I won't pretend to know the legalities of recruiting, but seems like an opportunity to show your skills regardless and get your name on someone's radar early. I wouldn't worry about the pitcher. Just be the best you possible as that's all that is under your control anyway.

Not trying to fool coaches, but if the catcher can stick a low pitch without pushing it out the zone it looks better.

This is about the pitcher getting recruited, my daughter is just along for the ride. but yea if she can turn some heads win, win. You mentioned legalities, is there a min age/grade for the catchers as well in this situation?

 

[RADcatcher]

Thanks for the feedback.

The pitcher asked my daughter this weekend,

That is the best and most awesome answer!
The pitcher, knowing your daughter, probably has reasons that are confidence and comfortability for her to step up and ask.

but i should reach out to her dad to make sure that's what he wants too.

They just meet at high school conditioning in October and hopefully they will be teammates this spring, so now would be a good time to build some chemistry.

Absolutely pitcher and catcher chemistry is a phenomenal thing!

Possibly a thing that some people forget to include. Or don't know how to look for it to recognize it's positive influence!

 

[Nuwin]

Not trying to fool coaches, but if the catcher can stick a low pitch without pushing it out the zone it looks better.

I don't disagree. My position is that a coach should be able to tell the difference in this setting. The catcher shouldn't have much influence, other than to put their own name on the radar.

But I have been wrong before. And I'll be wrong again. Maybe I'm wrong about this too.

 

[TwoPitcherFam]

My 13 year old DD was asked to catch a pitcher at a college prospect camp in January. The pitcher is obviously 3-4 years older and throws 59-61, which is about 5mph harder than her one teammate. She caught her once during fall conditioning and said how much her off speed moves. My concern/question is how important is it for the catcher to make the pitcher look good, ie framing pitches, sticking moving pitches, blocking, etc. or do the college coaches look past the catchers abilities? my hope is to get them together a couple times prior, but im still a little anxious about the situation

Don’t worry and don’t over think it. If she is comfortable in practice, she will not affect the pitchers chances. Pitchers throw to tarps, nets, their catcher, a random catcher, possibly that college’s catchers, dad’s like me…sometimes all in the same camp. College pitching coaches know exactly what they are looking for. We have been at camps with ~80 pitchers and the college may take 1 or 2. This pitcher had to do a lot right to stand out and that includes hitting spots which means it should be close to your daughter’s glove. Funny enough, drop off the table change-up grabs more attention when a few spin under the glove of the catcher anyways.

If you want more specific advice, let us know the level- D1 (P5), D1, D2, D3. Is the pitcher a 2025 (or 2026) and if so, is she engaged in dialog/asked to come? Different things matter depending on this landscape.