One of the ways to make a pro baseball team, especially if you have the willingness to do so, is to become a bullpen catcher for an independent baseball team. It is “inglorious duty” at its core, but you get to put on a uniform and be with the team. You also get to network with other managers and coaches throughout the league who might need your services later in the season or can promote you to other independent baseball teams late in the season or next season.
Again, this is ugly duty. The risk of injury for a bullpen catcher is high due to catching roughly 300 pitches each day between practice, pitchers needing extra work and during the actual game. This is done night after night, and most guys aren’t willing to do this. That is also why it is an opening in terms of getting your foot in the door on a pro baseball team.
The benefits are few but they include:
- meeting the people who throw out the first pitch
- autographs mean the same to the kids
- you are seen more as a “coach” than a player, so the coaching staff will treat you differently
- the front office knows that bullpen catching duty is ugly so they often will let you learn their side of the business of pro sports if you show the desire to learn
Here is a recent article about a writer who spent three nights in the bullpen with the relief pitchers and the bullpen catcher for the Newark Bears. The Bears play in the Can-Am League. The quotes from the players are fairly crass, so be warned if strong language is not your taste.
In case you don’t make a team from any private workout or open pro baseball tryout camp, then keep this option in your back pocket if you are willing to deal with the injuries and life in the bullpen. Do your research and you will find some players who made it onto rosters after first starting out in the bullpen catcher role.