The Glove-Control Drill Every Catcher Should Master
Presenting strikes the old way. Save the wasp-swatting for after 300 games.
Early in BP rounds, Barry Bonds sometimes hit balls through the right-hander’s batter’s box, scorching liners toward the third-base dugout. It looked absurd yet controlled—one of the greatest power hitters alive was intentionally hitting foul balls. But the challenge was deliberate: let the ball get deep while maintaining bat path. It was a drill for growth, not for games… unless Bonds happened to be aiming at someone leaning on the rail.
Catchers refine glove control the same way Bonds refined bat control: with high-rep drills that show up when it’s time to present pitches. Fancy framing has led to fancy training. This isn’t that. This is foundational glove work—learning the pocket, the palm, the web, and how to get more leather over more plate.
Glove Control
Before all the “advanced receiving” has you swatting imaginary wasps, settle the glove. Take a thousand reps to sync the eyes, hand, and pocket. Start simple with as little movement as possible. Hit the hornets later.
Once the palm, pocket, and web are under control, getting your leather over the white becomes natural framing.
Two examples:
Fastball Away to a Lefty: Catch it in the palm → ~75% of the glove stays over the plate.
Fastball Away to a Righty: Catch it in the web → ~75% of the glove stays over the plate.
Should anyone be catching 100 mph in the palm? Debatable. But learning to use all three glove zones is worth it.
Pocket Awareness Drill
Setup
Catcher: Set up in the middle of the plate
Thrower: Fastballs from ~30 feet
Win Each Part of the Glove
Each zone gets deliberate work, with the catcher saying “Yes” when the ball hits the correct area while keeping as much leather over the plate as possible.
Start with 5 each: Palm → Pocket → Web
Grow to 5 in a row: Palm → Pocket → Web
The High Pitch: Divide the glove into top and bottom.
High FBs — Top of glove. “Pinkie above ball”
Low FBs — Bottom of the glove. “Thumb below ball”
Keys
Quiet hand. Minimal movement. Dominate the pocket. Present well for the umpire behind you.
Preparation in Parable Form
A little preseason perspective—and a winter read.
A few years ago, Chop Wood, Carry Water became a go-to for college teams. It reminds us—in parable form—that the journey to mastery matters more than the destination.
John’s experiences and Akira’s teaching highlight stepping into the mundane and laying a meaningful foundation. The lessons aren’t just for athletes; they’re for anyone stuck in the “stat race.”
Themes from the book:
• Embrace the Process
Consistent daily work builds great players and great people. Small reps, done with intent, compound.
• Build a Strong Foundation
Skills, habits, and character formed through steady effort carry you when pressure hits.
• Take Responsibility
Your development is yours. Every day adds up.
• Adopt a Growth Mindset
Failure is part of the game. Learn, adjust, continue.
• Lead with Humility and Gratitude
True success isn’t stats—it’s relationships, lessons, and gratitude.
Grow forward—one page at a time—with Chop Wood, Carry Water.
30 Years of Training. One Quiet Place.
A decade ago, Coach Trosky’s Infield Drills Quick Tips clip went viral as YouTube became a hub for baseball instruction. The teaching still holds up, but now there’s a full environment behind it.
Coach Trosky and tech architect Matt French built a platform that distills 30 years of aligned training for the complete player—available this winter for less than $20 a month.
Trosky 365 blends:
Training: On-field + championship mindset
Engagement: Players “talk” with the system—setting goals, planning sessions, reflecting on progress
Fifteen minutes a day changes mindset. More than that changes your game.
“I wake up different because of 365.”
— Marc Warner, Charlotte, NC
Tonight’s 365 Live
Get your popcorn ready for this one.
Mike Murphy (13-year pro) and Pete Laforest (former MLB catcher, head coach, 21 years pro) are teaming up for an electric mini-panel on hitting. I’ve heard both of them break down the craft, and trust me—they bring fire and insight. Between the two of them, we’re looking at more than a half-century of professional hitting and teaching… and somehow neither of them looks a day over 95.
📅 Tuesday, December 2
🕔 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST
Bring your performance notebook, set a reminder, and show up ready.
Or join directly:
See you tonight!
On the adventure,
—Greg Moore
greg@troskyedtech.com
TroskyBaseball.com
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