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Catcher's Command Center

Intermediate 50/70 · League ages 11-13 · 50-foot pitching distance · 70-foot bases

Lead the pre-pitch conversation

Before getting into position, the catcher checks outs, runners and the pitch plan. An infielder confirms coverage for a possible steal.

What belongs in this check?

Coaching Points

Keep signs simple and confirm that the pitcher can see them.

Common Mistakes

Changing a sign without telling the team creates preventable confusion.

Alternative Considerations

Agree a reset signal for any uncertainty; do not guess at a pitch.

Coaching exercise: not a national rule requirement.

Keep a blocked ball nearby

At a controlled receiving station, the coach introduces a low ball after checking protective gear and spacing. The catcher works on keeping the ball in front rather than stabbing at it.

What should determine the next progression?

Coaching Points

Introduce movement only after comfortable stationary repetitions.

Common Mistakes

A drill is not improved by overwhelming a player with speed.

Alternative Considerations

Return to a softer ball or dry footwork if control breaks down.

Coaching exercise: not a national rule requirement.

Finish an uncaught third strike

There are two outs and first base is occupied. Strike three gets away from the catcher.

Can the batter become a runner?

Coaching Points

Secure the ball and communicate the available play; do not assume the inning ended.

Common Mistakes

Remembering occupancy but forgetting the outs gives the wrong decision.

Alternative Considerations

With fewer than two outs and first occupied, the batter's eligibility is different.

Rules/safety: third

Choose a throw, not a panic

A runner breaks for second. The catcher receives the ball, finds the target and makes a controlled transfer before throwing.

What is the best practice goal?

Coaching Points

Reward a clean sequence and sound choice, not just a stopwatch result.

Common Mistakes

A rushed throw with no target can create an extra base.

Alternative Considerations

First-and-third situations need a separate team call agreed before the pitch.

Coaching exercise: not a national rule requirement.

Count innings before changing roles

A player has received a live pitch while catching in a fourth inning in the same game today. The coach considers moving that player to pitcher.

What does regular-season Regulation VI require?

Coaching Points

Track catching as well as pitch counts on the adult's game record.

Common Mistakes

Warm-up work and live innings are different; a live pitch in the fourth inning caught in the same game matters.

Alternative Considerations

Even legal combinations can add fatigue; safety guidance is more conservative than eligibility.

Rules/safety: catch-pitch safety

Check the whole pitcher-catcher history

A player caught earlier, then pitched, and now wants to catch again. The adult checks the entire day's sequence, not just the latest position.

What is the correct approach?

Coaching Points

Regulation VI has a 20-pitch threshold for the return-to-catcher sequence and a separate 40-pitch rule.

Common Mistakes

Confusing these thresholds can make an ineligible catcher appear eligible.

Alternative Considerations

Keep the numbers in the official record, not in personal notes on this training page.

Rules/safety: catch-pitch