5 Tips for Catchers to Frame the High Pitch in Baseball (and Softball)

Fast pitchers often throw high pitches that can be challenging to catch as they tend to miss the tip of the glove. But you can transform this challenge into an opportunity to enhance your catching skills with the right techniques.

In fact, we have helped 100s of catchers frame the high pitch better with the 5 simple tips below.

Here are five tips to help you catch high pitches like a pro, letting you stay in control and make the play effectively.

@catchingmadesimple

🔥 Mastering Those High Pitches🔥 Struggling with those high-flying pitches? 🤔 As the game speeds up, so does the challenge 💨 Here are five essential tips to help you snag those high pitches with ease: 1️⃣ Get Taller 📏 2️⃣ Smart Pre-Pitch Position⚾️ 3️⃣ Head High 👀 4️⃣ Catch Out Front➡️ 5️⃣ Dunk It 🏀 Go get those high pitches head on 💯👊🏼

♬ (TRAINING DAY) - Instrumental - RayKeyz

5 Tips to Receive the High Pitch

1. Straighten Up Your Stance

Leaning too far forward can limit your ability to react and reach upward. By keeping your spine straighter, you allow yourself to move quickly and maintain balance, making those high pitches easier to catch.

2. Limit Your Pre-Pitch

Many catchers take their glove all the way to the ground on high pitches, which can negatively impact their ability to react to high pitches. By adjusting your triple threat to around the batter’s knee level, you give yourself a better chance to react upwards quickly when those high pitches come in.

3. Head High

Keeping your head high is crucial not just for maintaining proper posture but also for making sure you have clear sight to the ball. Ducking or dropping your head can cause you to lose sight of the pitch, hesitate, and react slower, making it more difficult to catch high throws.

Pro tip: Umpires often call the high strike based off of the catchers mask. So keep your head high!

4. Catch Out Front

If you fail to catch the ball out front, it becomes harder to see the ball and your arm is in a weaker position.

To gain better leverage and make a more controlled catch, aim to catch the ball out in front of you rather than deep near your body. This positioning allows for better visibility and easier adjustment to the pitch's location and speed.

5. The Dunk Technique

The “old school” way of framing the high pitch is to crank your wrist down. But, when you do this, it looks weak and your glove isn’t flat.

Instead, imagine you’re LeBron James…DUNKING THE BALL!

So, bring your whole arm down rather than just your wrist. This approach not only helps in securing the catch but also helps frame the pitch effectively for the umpire.

How to Receive the High Pitch for Beginners

When teaching beginner catchers how to catch the high pitch, it’s important to understand what level they are at. Are they a good athlete that just started catching? Or are they a young athlete that does not have much hand-eye coordination yet?

If they are a good athlete with strong hand-eye coordination, but just started to catch, then the tips above will help them. For beginning catchers who are younger athletes, just catching the ball in the pocket consistently will be the best thing you can do.

Implementing The 5 Tips for Catching High Pitches

Start by integrating these techniques into your practice sessions. Focus on each component:

• Practicing your stance and keeping a straight spine.
• Work on keeping your head high and maintaining clear sight of the pitch.
• Practice the dunk technique to perfect your framing skills.

It’s best to focus on one thing at a time. If you want more information on the fastest way to get better at catching, you will love the Catching Made Simple Method.

Your Next Steps to Becoming a Varsity Ready Receiver

You came in wondering how to be better at catching high pitches.

Now you know the 5 tips for catcher to frame the high pitch like a pro in both baseball and softball.

If you’re interested in getting more help with your receiving, you should definitely check out the Catching Made Simple Method or the Varsity Ready Plan.

If you're not quite ready to check those out, you might like these resources:

• The Optimal Time to Lower Your Glove to the Ground When Catching
• Do the 7 Day Stance Challenge
• How to Get Better at Catching