Top 3 Tips to Become a Better Catcher: A Guide from Coach Bougie

If you're a catcher looking to improve your game, you've come to the right place.

If you don’t know who I am, my name is Anj Bourgeois and I’m the founder of Catching Made Simple. I transitioned from infield to catcher my Junior year of college, having never caught before, and now have a passion for teaching other catchers the fundamentals of the game.

I’ve helped hundreds of catchers get into a better stance, learn the fundamentals of the game, and get their mindset right.

By the end of this article, you’ll know 3 tips to becoming a better catcher so you can dominate on the field.

Tip #1: Get into a Good Stance

The first and most important step to becoming a better catcher is to get into a good stance.

Your stance is the foundation of all your movements as a catcher.

Like I always say, a good stance makes EVERYTHING easier and a bad stance makes EVERYTHING harder.

Coach Bougie recommends taking the Seven Day Stance Challenge to learn the five main stances you need to know.

Your primary stance should be shaped like an M, with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing outwards. This stance allows you to be balanced and mobile, ready to move in any direction. You should also keep your knees bent, your chest connected to your thighs, and your butt down.

This will help you stay low and be ready for anything that comes your way.

You can also check out the top 5 stances every catcher needs.

Tip #2: Film Yourself and Review the Tape

My next tip is to film yourself regularly. By watching yourself on video, you can identify areas where you need to improve and work to correct them.

I recommend filming a baseline video where you go through all of your stances and movements, and then re-filming that baseline video every month so you can track your progress.

@catchingmadesimple

How to film a baseline video for catching 🎥 Baseline videos are important for ✌🏻 reasons: 1. They help you to see where you need to improve📶 2. They help you track your progress that make as you grow👊🏼

♬ original sound - Coach Bougie ⚾️

When you film yourself, it's important to focus on the details.

Look at your footwork, your hand placement, and your body position. Are you getting into your stance quickly and efficiently? Are you receiving the ball in the right spot? Are you blocking the ball with your body rather than your glove? These are all things you should be looking for when you watch your videos.

Coach Bougie also recommends using a slow-motion app to analyze your videos. This allows you to see the details more clearly and make more precise adjustments.

By filming yourself regularly and analyzing your videos, you can identify your weaknesses and work on the right things so you can get better faster.

@catchingmadesimple The biggest thing holding you back is not knowing the right thing to work on 😱 Figure out your bottleneck🍼 Work on it 💪🏼 And watch yourself grow📈 #catching #catchingcoach #coaching ♬ love nwantinti (ah ah ah) - CKay

Tip #3: Follow a process to get better

Finally, follow a proven process to get better. Catching is a very specific position that requires unique movements, and learning how to move correctly is the biggest challenge for most catchers.

I recommend a 5 step process to skill development I’ve named The Catching Made Simple Method: Learn to move, add a baseball, increase the variables, sharpen your decision-making, and finally, “let it eat’” in the game.

1. Learn to Move

The first step in this process is to practice the movement. Catching requires a unique set of movements that you won't find in many other sports.

The biggest problem catchers have is not knowing how to move correctly. And in order to play the position well, you have to master the specific movements.

You need to learn how to move quickly and efficiently to get into your stance, receive the ball, and block the ball.

2. Add a Baseball

Once you've mastered the movements, it's time to add in a baseball.

And when we add in a baseball, what do you think happens to the movements we just worked so hard to master? You guessed it, it goes right out the window!

This is where we need to then run this method over and over and learn to move again while adding in a baseball.

By adding in a baseball, you'll learn how to use your movements in a more practical way.

3. Increase the Variables

The third step is to increase the variables. This means throwing the ball harder, throwing it to different locations, and using different weights of balls.

By increasing the variables, you'll learn how to adapt your movements to different situations and become more versatile as a catcher.

4. Sharpen Your Decisions

Once you've mastered the movements, you still have to decide what to do.

Moving correctly when you know whats coming is one thing, it’s another to do it when you don’t know if you’re going to get a 90 mph fastball in the air or in the dirt.

Now it's time to sharpen your decision-making.

Catching requires you to make split-second decisions about whether to catch the ball or block the ball. You need to be able to read the pitch and anticipate where it's going to go. By sharpening your decision-making, you'll become more confident and effective as a catcher.

5. “Let it Eat” in the Game

Finally, the last step is to let it eat in the game. When you're in the game, you can't be thinking about your movements or your decision-making. You need to be in the moment and focused on the pitch. By letting it eat, you'll be able to perform at your best and make the plays that matter.

Next steps to Becoming a Better Catcher

You came wondering .what it takes to become a better catcher.

Now you know my top 3 tips on how to be a better catcher.

At Catching Made Simple, I create content, courses, and coaching programs to help thousands of catchers increase their mobility, strengthen their mental game, and develop the physical skills they need to catch at a high level.

Book a call for a free 15 minute Catching Consultation with Coach Bougie if you want to get an expert take on what you need to do to get better.

And if you’re not yet ready to talk with me, check out these other resources:

• 7-Day Stance Challenge to get a stance like the pros in 5 min a day
• The Most Important Skill for Catchers? You Won't Believe the Answer!
• Top 5 Stances Every Catcher Needs