Behind the plate, you’ll see almost every type of hit: Line drives, hard grounders, fly balls, and home runs. But what you won’t see are pop-ups hit directly above you. Every other fielder on the diamond has a 360-degree view of every hit. The catcher, however, does not. You are looking straight ahead at the pitcher, and your mask obstructs your view of anything above your visor. With your eyes focused on the pitcher’s hip, a pop-up will go immediately out of your view. This softball guide will offer tips to make catching these pop-ups routine.
Short vs. High
Before you know how to catch a pop-up, you’ll need to know the difference between the two types you’ll see — short or high. A short pop-up is one that only reaches about five feet above you. A high pop-up is just that — high. These pop-ups have more spin and velocity, and they’ll be more difficult to track.
On a short pop-up, you will simply spin and turn your back to the infield. You do not need to remove your mask (and you won’t have time); simply look up and try to catch the ball. On a high pop-up, though, you’ll need to stand up, remove your mask, and then spin to locate the ball.
Pop ups are hit such that the imparted spin tends to cause them to come back into play/toward fair territory. Turning and putting your back to the plate means that any last second trajectory changes will be toward, rather than away from you and easier to catch. Although I have no scientific backup, I believe that having a fixed reference point that is proximal (i.e., the backstop fence, stands etc.) rather than distal (outfield fence, scoreboard, trees in the background etc.) aids with reading trajectory, which is a unique challenge for a catcher as they are the only player that can not see the complete path/trajectory of the ball on a high foul pop up.
Catcher Pop-Up Check List:
1. Mask comes off when ball goes up (some catchers prefer to keep the hockey-stlye mask on)
2. Find the ball right away
3. Get your back turned towards the infield
4. Stay low at all times
5. Keep your mask in hand until you find the ball
6. Once you have found the ball, get rid of mask
7. Toss mask away from where you think the ball will be
8. Stay low and relax
9. Know that the ball will drift back towards the infield
10. Stay behind the ball – infield side
11. If the ball is out in front of the plate, go forward, then turn
12. Get out there quick
13. Seeing the ball early helps you get to the desired area to catch the pop-up
14. After you get to the pop-up area, try to get turned around
15. Your back should be facing pitcher’s mound
16. Front facing Plate
17. Stay relaxed and make the play!
18. Be vocal! Take charge
19. Catch the ball.
Don’t raise your glove as you’re moving to get underneath the ball — that will only slow you down. A high pop-up will likely be swayed by even the slightest breeze, so you don’t want to set up your glove too early. Stay on the balls of your feet and keep the mask in your hand until you’ve set yourself right under the ball. Then you can toss your mask out to the side.
You want to make sure you don’t trip over it if you need to finish the play, so by tossing it to the side, you’ll get the mask out of your way. (If you toss it too early, it’s possible that you’ll trip over it as you move to locate the ball.) As the ball is descending, raise your glove. Make the catch with two hands.
If the ball is moving in the air, don’t just reach for it with your glove — move your body. You want to get your whole body behind and underneath the ball, not just one arm. And remember, the ball is live if you catch it, so know where the runners are at all times!