How to Coach Catchers with Chase Wullenweber, Seattle Mariners

About this episode

Chase Wullenweber discusses advanced techniques and philosophies for coaching catchers in baseball.

Are you an amateur catcher looking to take your game to the professional level? In this episode of the Back Pick Podcast, we sit down with Mariners catching coach Chase Woollenweber to break down the science of elite catching. From mastering the one-knee setup to training for chaos behind the plate, this conversation is a masterclass in modern catching development. Chase shares his journey from division two baseball to coaching in the Mariners organization. He emphasizes the importance of building trust with players and simplifying complex concepts, especially when working with athletes who speak different languages. We dive deep into why catchers shouldn't just be placed on a knee but must be taught how to move and react from that position effectively to avoid the common mistakes seen in amateur ball. A major focus of this discussion is the idea of training for chaos rather than repeatable solutions. Chase explains how he uses specialized tools like the Traject, e-hack machines, and Marv balls to create unpredictable environments that force catchers to adjust in real-time. We also explore the fine details of glove speed, timing, and how to keep strikes as strikes by adopting a…

People in this episode

Host: Brett Thomas

Guest: Chase Wullenweber

Topics covered

• catching techniques
• coaching
• baseball
• player development
• training methods

Keywords

• catchers
• coaching
• baseball
• training for chaos
• one-knee setup
• glove speed
• blocking mechanics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Seattle Mariners

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