The Scouting Classroom #20
THE HARDEST POSITION TO FIND AND DEVELOP
For me, the hardest position for a scout to find and develop is catcher.
Not because there aren’t players willing to put the gear on. There are plenty. The challenge is finding a true catcher.
There is a big difference between someone who catches and someone who can run a game, handle a staff, control tempo, receive velocity, block with toughness, throw accurately, and still compete in the batter’s box.
That is what makes the position different
A catcher has to do a little bit of everything, and most of it does not show up in the box score. Fans may notice pop time or arm strength. Scouts are watching the quieter details.
• Does he receive the ball cleanly? • Does he steal strikes without making it obvious? • Does he block with conviction? • Does he recover quickly? • Does he throw with carry and accuracy? • Does the pitcher trust him? • Does he control tempo? • Does he lead without needing attention? • Does he handle failure without carrying it into the next pitch?
That is why catching is so difficult to evaluate. You are not just grading tools. You are grading responsibility.
THE BAT MAKES IT EVEN HARDER
The toughest part is finding a catcher who can defend and still hit.
Many young catchers fall behind offensively because the position demands so much. Their legs get tired, their hands take a beating, and their minds get overloaded. They spend so much time learning to receive, block, throw, call pitches, and manage pitchers that the bat often develops more slowly.
That does not mean the hitter is not in there.
It means scouts have to be patient.
Some catchers need more time, more innings, or better competition. Some need to fail, adjust, mature, and learn to slow the game down. A young catcher may have the arm before the receiving, the bat before the trust, or the toughness before the feel.
That is development
WHY REAL CATCHERS ARE RARE
A real catcher has to earn trust from everyone around him.
Pitchers have to believe in him. Coaches have to trust him. Scouts have to project him. Organizations have to stay patient.
You can move a good athlete to the outfield. You can shift a shortstop to another position. You can dream on a pitcher with arm strength. Catching is different. You cannot fake the innings, the feel, or the leadership when the game speeds up.
The position exposes you
• It exposes your toughness. • It exposes your instincts. •It exposes your aptitude. • It exposes your patience. • It exposes your ability to think while your body is getting beat up.
That is why scouts pay close attention when they see a young catcher who can truly handle the position.
THE SCOUTING LESSON
When a scout finds a catcher with defensive trust, arm strength, toughness, leadership, feel for the game, and offensive upside, he does not just write it down and move on.
He follows him
Because those players are hard to find
And even harder to develop
The position is not just about tools. It is about carrying responsibility pitch after pitch, inning after inning, game after game.
That is why catcher, for me, is the hardest position to find and develop.
That’s scouting!
#BehindTheRadarGun
The average age of a U.S. Senator is 64.
The average age of a U.S. House Rep is 57.
The average age in America is 39.
These people squatting in seats for decades can’t accurately relate to, or represent, the needs of Americans.
We need term limits.
“This recent West Point graduate is Alex Idrache. He grew up in a slum in Haiti, and he tells the story of how U.S. soldiers were deployed to his neighborhood following the earthquake there several years ago. He says their presence was the first experience of "hope" he recalls in his childhood.
He remembers looking at his dad and asking him who the people were that were helping. His dad looked at him and said, "They are American soldiers." He looked back at his father and said, "One day, I will be an American soldier." His father knew the situation in Haiti was unworkable and tried for several years to obtain a visa to come to the United States. After being denied for several years, he was finally granted a spot in Baltimore. He purchased a ticket on a boat for his family and left Haiti. They arrived and Alex, remembering his dream in the slum several years prior, looked for a way to join the U.S. Army. He found a national guard program that allowed him to join the Army in exchange for citizenship. He didn't hesitate.
After a series of fortunate occurrences, he was given one of the few spots at West Point for prior enlisted soldiers. Despite his severe lack of formal education, he graduated as an honor graduate (top 5% physically and academically) and the top student in the Physics Department. This picture was taken just prior to tossing his hat in the air, the realization of a dream that began 10 years ago in a slum in Port-au-Prince.”
What an amazing ride @maggieclarkk. 2 degrees, 3 conf chips, 5 ncaa’s, A Final 8, All conf & team captain! A group of friends & teammates who will stay in your life 4ever. @JMULacrosse is special place.Your 2nd home. Thank you for it all Mags. Proud Dad. #13💪❤️