Blocking a Pitch (Catching)
Also known as: smothering a pitch, blocking in the dirt
Blocking is when a catcher smothers a pitch in the dirt with the body and chest protector, not the glove. It keeps the ball in front, preventing a passed ball.
When a pitch bounces in front of the plate, the catcher's priority shifts from catching cleanly to simply keeping the ball from getting past. A missed glove attempt lets the ball skip to the backstop. A well-executed block deadens it directly in front, where the catcher can pick it up immediately. The technique involves dropping quickly to the knees and rounding the shoulders forward and down to create a wall with the chest protector. The glove angles between the legs as a backup rather than the primary tool for stopping the ball.
Blocking requires quick, decisive footwork to get the body in front of the ball's actual line, rather than reaching sideways with the glove alone. A glove-only attempt on a low pitch has a much smaller margin for error than a full-body block. Catchers train this reaction with drills that fire balls into the dirt at varying angles. The drills build the instinct to drop and center the body rather than stab at the ball with the glove.
Example
The pitch skipped in the dirt well outside the zone. But the catcher shifted his feet, got his body directly in front, and blocked it cleanly to keep the runner from advancing.
Why it matters
A catcher who blocks reliably lets a pitcher throw breaking balls in the dirt with confidence. Pitch selection is far less limited when the catcher is trusted to keep the ball in front.
How it shows up on video
On video, a clean block shows the catcher's body moving to get directly behind the ball's line before dropping, with shoulders rounded forward over the ball. A missed block often shows the catcher reaching sideways with the glove alone instead of moving the feet to get the body in front first.
Common mistakes
- Reaching sideways with the glove instead of moving the feet to get the body directly in front of the ball's path
- Staying too upright rather than rounding the shoulders forward, letting the ball deflect off the chest protector at a hard-to-predict angle
- Focusing on catching the ball cleanly rather than simply keeping it in front, which increases the chance of a clean miss
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
Motion Lab has no blocking motion and does not track the pitch. As a result, it cannot judge whether you got your body in front of the ball.
Frequently asked questions
Should a catcher try to catch every pitch in the dirt cleanly?
No. The priority on a pitch in the dirt is keeping it in front of the body, even if that means smothering it rather than fielding it cleanly with the glove.
Related terms
- Framing a PitchFraming is how a catcher receives a borderline pitch so it looks like a strike. The catcher uses soft hands and sticks the pitch where it arrives.
- Pop Time (Catcher)Pop time is the time from a pitch hitting the catcher's mitt to the throw reaching the glove at second base. It measures a catcher's throw on a steal attempt.
- Catcher's Setup TargetA catcher's setup target is the glove spot shown before the pitch. It gives the pitcher a clear, steady point to aim at and signals the intended location.
- Glove PresentationGlove presentation (for catchers) is how the catcher holds and moves the mitt to receive the pitch cleanly and, in competitive baseball, to subtly show the umpire the ball in the strike zone.
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