Did you know that approximately 15% of US children play baseball?
This may not sound like a lot, but it beats out a variety of modern sports. Baseball is still America’s national pastime.
Almost every child on the diamond spends some amount of time dreaming of being the catcher. They want to wear a full catcher set of gear, loaded up with protection, and be involved in every pitch. Being a baseball catcher can be a lot of fun for a young child who needs to be more engaged with the game while on defense.
There is so much baseball equipment available for the modern baseball player that can be overwhelming to know where to get a catchers set for your team.
In this article, we will walk you through everything you need to know about finding the right catcher set for you.
Head Protection
Ultimately, the most important thing to protect is the head. With fastballs coming in at the youth level all the way up to 90 mph, it’s important to make sure that you are putting safety first.
Even a slight foul ball off the tip of the bat can be redirected away from the mitt and toward the head. You want to make sure that you find helmet options for your catchers set that provide the maximum certifications for protection.
You’ll want to make sure that whatever mask you choose has a full metal covering that still allows for good visibility for pitches coming to the plate. You also want to make sure that there is good shock distribution and foam padding that will protect the player in the event of a foul ball.
Throat and Chest Protection
In the same way, having throat and chest protection also protects sensitive areas of the player’s body in the event that a ball is tipped off the bat and redirected toward the catcher. Most catchers will be in a downward-facing position with some degree of protection provided to the throat from the end of the facemask.
However, it’s still important to have a dedicated throat protector in the event of a missed catch. Chest protectors should also have significant padding that begins to extend over the shoulders and onto the arms.
Knee Protectors
Finally, knee protectors are important to any catcher who is serious about being mobile for curveballs into the dirt. The ability to immediately drop to the knees to put the body in front of a ball that is bouncing in front of the plate is essential.
You can also find knee protectors that have padding to protect the catcher from extreme angles of sitting so that knee damage doesn’t build up over time. This is not always seen in Major League catchers sets, but it is very important at the younger levels of the game.
Finding the Right Catchers Set for You
At the end of the day, the right catchers set will factor in a combination of cost, protection, comfort, and mobility. If you can find a set of equipment that maximizes each of these factors based on your needs, you’ll be well protected and ready for an enjoyable season out on the diamond.
If you enjoyed this article about baseball equipment, please check out the other articles on our blog!
Written by Jake Gibson
