One Knee Down Catching Technique! (AND The Fruit Ninja Catching Drill) ft. Pro Catcher Leo Rojas!

[@adrianrodriguez7722]

He should 1000% make his own KZbin channel, the catchers position is one of the most important yet there’s the least amount instructors for the position

[@leorojas2110]

I will think about it. What would you like to see?

[@adrianrodriguez7722]

@@leorojas2110 breakdowns of other catchers, one knee blocking and throwing, pitch calling, minor league experiences, and just the overall basics as well

[@EquityCall]

Absolutely. Great info

[@joshcerasale9502]

@Leo Rojas adding blocking, ball transition / foot work throwing down, how best to help/support your pitcher mentally.

[@donnymcjonny6531]

@@leorojas2110 How to get started, Gear reviews, catching drills, mindset, mentality for calling pitches

[@timryan7422]

The first time I ever saw a catcher do the one knee down was Paul Casanova with the Washington Senators in the late 60s. He was a great defensive catcher who hit about .190.

[@leorojas2110]

That only means he was really good defensively 🙌🏻

[@timryan7422]

I checked his lifetime stats. He wasn't as bad a hitter as I remember. His lifetime BA was .225.

[@danedralin8064]

Love the explanation about timing the pitch to bring the glove up and not down. Great job coaches.

[@kennethcaro1680]

Great job explaining the one knee down.

[@YouGoPro]

Thanks for the comment

[@jonc5152]

I feel like it limits your mobility side to side, and especially vertically. It seems a good thing to do when you don't need to catch/stop the ball (nobody on). It also seems only as useful as your pitcher is reliable. I can't tell exactly what he was saying but I think he mentioned that you can't do this with a runner on... this is for relaxing a bit when you can.

[@chrisceykovsky]

Dozens of great catching videos on YT. This video is by far the most dense with information for the small things catchers do/need to do beyond the standard drills.

[@cachito4092]

Gary Sanchez needs to see this video

[@gavinlyski4644]

For sure, he thinks he can just sit his weight back and glove everything.

[@jaredhowell7536]

@@gavinlyski4644 I mean he kinda can

[@wendiesikes6103]

Gary Sanchez sucks

[@user-vs3lq2wk5i]

Stfu hes the best catcher

[@Rooster_king]

Any concerns with catching one knee down and taking a foul tip to the inner thigh? Also, at what age would you start using this?

[@leorojas2110]

No concerns at all. All catchers are exposed to getting hit, and most catchers are okay with it. I teach all my catchers from age 9 and up to receive with the knee down.

[@barrondowse8843]

I have gotten drilled In the thigh so I have switched to opposite side so on a righty I’ll put my left knee up just me but it hurts getting drilled by a tip

[@loberg65]

Mitch Garver got hit right in the crotch last season. It's always a risk regardless of the stance

[@jnilson5774]

Thank you for your explanations and tips, my son is now into player pitch and he loves catching which is hard to find an 8 year old who enjoys it.

[@leorojas2110]

Definitely hard to find an 8u player who likes to catch. Usually they are pretty good if they enjoy catching at that age🙌🏻

[@bryanrmcnair01]

Yes...my youngest loved it would practice with 9 and 10 yearolds (catching their pitchers) when he was only 7 and still in coach pitch!

[@sonnyjackson883]

Thanks man! you've just made my son's life a lot easier!

[@toddlu3365]

Leo! Well done brother! Another great video going into the teaching library.!

[@kellanlang8200]

great job thanks for the tips

[@jasonthegreat5215]

One of your best videos yet, thank you broski

[@calebclausen153]

i feel the same about the comfort, but the only problem i have with this stance is making back picks and throw downs with speed. i can’t get off the ground as fast as if i were in the traditional stance. on the lower pitches, i widen my stance a LOT. i’m almost doing the splits, and the only reason i do this is to make sure i can get the pick in time and on a line. i feel like if i am always on one knee, then i have to throw from my knees. i have no problem with it, it just puts a lot of strain on my arm. i like the idea of this stance, i enjoy using this stance, but i just don’t feel like the stance is doing me any good. great video nonetheless!

[@LiL_LopezFN]

This is my man! Trust me it's amazing so easy

[@MrPhillipsTheChangeAgent]

Such a great video. Would have been great to have a side camera angle to see the side some.

[@chrislegereit7204]

My son is 6 and was just assigned the catcher position. What are the main focus points I should be working with him on? What would be good drills and training we could do at home?

[@LeviHolman2025]

Great info! Thank you!!!!

[@YouGoPro]

👊😉

[@griffinhuchro6501]

I have a question my coach wants me to give the pitcher a target and keep it up the whole time and it’s hard to do that any ideas

[@camcook9965]

This really helped. Thank you!

[@coreysippola4185]

Would this technique work as well in women's fastpitch?

[@jimh581]

Nicely done.

[@jameskasselman8503]

If I watched this when I was 14 yr old, I would have play college ball, maybe A. Listen up youngsters. This is a free ticket to the next level

[@jameskasselman8503]

This video also teaches how to frame pitches minimally and not jerk. You gotta work with the Blue back there and not let him doubt strikes bc u jerk too much

[@747heavyboeing3]

Easier to steal bases off knee down stance. Speedsters should run more, especially with larger bases in AA

[@mikeyisniceha]

Easier for passed balls as well

[@RF_dhdahngtj99]

I remeber ball back in the old days. No one uses those round gloves anymore?

[@luisarbertoencarnacion4930]

That good

[@rudivanrooijen7611]

Beating the pitch to the spot is the most important takeaway from this video. I really doubt the one knee down stance. It still requires the same flexibility and athleticism the regular stance asks for, especially when pitchers are missing their spots. Surely this will work better when the level of pitching gets better. But, the Yankees worked Gary Sanchez this way and he continued to be a butcher behind the plate. Furthermore this stance will give hitters more info when they peek at the catcher.

[@urbanclutch0614]

This stance I like a second stance, you give your sign in your primary or sign giving stance and then go into the one knee down stance.

[@rudivanrooijen7611]

@@urbanclutch0614 the one knee stance gives away location which enables the hitter to eliminate part of the pitcher's repertoire

[@urbanclutch0614]

@@rudivanrooijen7611 that Is why you dont just do it on certain pitches. You should do it every pitch except for when there is a runner on base.

[@donnymcjonny6531]

Knee-down also makes it easier to frame pitches from the umpire's point of view because he doesn't have your knee as a reference point for how much you've moved.

[@alicekramer9016]

i would love to see how to block from this stance

[@kellanlang8200]

i have a question?

[@YouGoPro]

What is your question?

[@kellanlang8200]

when i am Throwing down to second base I have a problem standing up like my butt comes up and I’m trying to stay down do you have any tips

[@leorojas2110]

@@kellanlang8200 try to practice your footwork staying really low, then add throwing to that. That will make your body comfortable with staying lower than the usual which will translate well in the games.

[@kellanlang8200]

@@leorojas2110 thank you so much!

[@abelleon2399]

What glove is that

[@PowerOfDixieland]

It's a training mitt, assuming Marucci or Mizuno but hard to see the logo. Most glove makers have a version of it. I have always thought the All Star line is by far the best catcher's mitt, their version of the trainer is the CM100TM.

[@JorgeHuertaRubio]

But how do you block??

[@bryanrmcnair01]

JUST DONT give the pitches away by witch knee and when!!! Edit to add...agree with being late to "bring" low pitch up BUT but i always say go PAST or AROUND the inside or mostly outside pitch an catch it as ya onway back into the zone! Not just to the spot and back "in" go lil past the spot then as onway back in zone is when catch it!!

[@johnshelton1042]

Great video! Can you comment on how so many folks say that you SHOULD beat the ball to the spot? Thank you!

[@bryanrmcnair01]

@@johnshelton1042 For catcher that means have mitt at place ball is going to be in advance of it getting there...BUT to be even more advanced go outside or under it then catch it onway back into the strike zone!

[@anthonyrodriguez2191]

To difficult to move laterally to keep wild pitches in front of the catcher. Creates back handed attempts especially to the knee down side. You also lose time in trying to throw out base stealers.

[@cam4568]

hence why he said you need to get comfortable in a standard catching stance when RUNNERS ON just pay attention

[@rick-vq8is]

One of the best videos but kill the music. It`s only a distraction.

[@davidursini4740]

The only problem with that stance is you open yourself up to the painful foul tip to the groin.

[@CalebsCars]

The knee down is stupid and we just saw the other day in the playoffs a catcher not being able to block a ball in the dirt with a runner on.

[@dogpatch75]

Not enough emphasis on the fact that this technique is not a substitute for traditional catching. A kid must become competent in traditional technique first, then add one-knee-down to both expand their capabilities and save their knees as they grow through their playing career. One-knee-down is a way for a good catcher to become better, not for a young catcher to start out with. Younger kids who use it with inadequate coaching and without first becoming competent catchers will likely be slow and less effective.

[@ipfreely7918]

AJ Pierzynski.....!

[@jaredm730]

Sure isn't working for Gary Sanchez, tho

[@chrispeters8220]

I can’t stand this!! Who decided after 125 years of baseball that it needed to change? When you have to move the glove 2ft maybe you need a better pitcher! What I don’t see is how to block properly!

[@PowerOfDixieland]

One knee? One word....LAZY. Get comfortable, just don't go behind the plate doing it. So soft.

[@sherivoneschen4742]

too much advertising

[@dejohnson2277]

For the love of the game stop this. Please don’t teach your kids this.

[@donnymcjonny6531]

This technique is making guys millions of dollars.

[@dogpatch75]

The problem is not the stance, but rather thinking that it is a replacement for the traditional stance. It looks easy but does require knowledge of the position and refinement of good technique to use it properly. The nuances are important and use of one-knee-down must interact with the traditional stance. Kids should become competent with the traditional stance first, then add one-knee-down to their arsenal. Correct use does make a good catcher better and also helps them maintain healthy knees. Be careful though. Teaching one-knee-down before a kid knows how to catch traditionally will create a lazy and incompetent catcher.

[@dejohnson2277]

You can't properly block certain pitches. You handicap a pitcher that can really pitch. One knee is fine for throwers. Not pitchers.