Does Online Catcher Training Actually Work? (A Complete Guide for Parents)

Your kid loves catching. They're the one who volunteers to strap on the gear when nobody else wants to. They watch MLB catchers on TV and try to mimic their stances in the backyard. They've got the heart for the position, but they need coaching to take the next step.

So you start looking for a catching coach. And that's where the frustration begins.

There aren't many catching coaches compared to hitting and pitching instructors. The one you found charges $100/hour and is 45 minutes away. Or worse, he was great, but just left to go coach at a college program. And even if you find a good one, matching your schedule with their schedule is a nightmare. Between school, practice, travel ball games, and the rest of your family's life, fitting in a weekly lesson at the one time slot the instructor has open feels impossible.

Sound familiar?

This is exactly why online catcher training has exploded over the last few years. And if you're wondering whether it actually works, whether your kid can genuinely get better at catching through a screen, I'm going to give you a straight answer in this article.

My name is Anj Bourgeois. Most people call me Coach Bougie. I'm the founder of Catching Made Simple, and I've helped hundreds of catchers from around the world develop varsity-level skills through online training. I transitioned from infield to catcher my Junior year of college at Biola University and had to learn the entire position from scratch in 18 months. That experience taught me how to break catching down into simple, teachable steps, and it's the foundation of everything I teach today.

Why Online Catching Training Has Exploded

Here's something most baseball families don't realize: there are roughly 10 hitting and pitching coaches for every 1 catching coach. The position is the most important on the field, yet it's consistently the most under-coached. I can't tell you how many parents have told me, "Our team's coach just throws the catchers behind the plate and says 'go do your own thing.'"

That's not coaching. That's babysitting.

The catching coach shortage is real, and it exists for a few reasons. First, fewer people specialize in teaching catching because it's such a niche position. Second, the coaches who do teach it are often still playing or chasing coaching jobs, so they leave just when your kid starts making progress. Third, most baseball training facilities focus on hitting and pitching because that's where the money is.

And then there's the scheduling problem. Even when you find a good catching coach, their availability rarely lines up with yours. They've got one opening on Tuesday at 4:30, and that's when your kid has practice. Or they're 45 minutes away and you're already driving enough as it is.

Online catcher training solves all of these problems. Technology, specifically video analysis, has made it possible for a specialized catching coach to work with your kid no matter where you live or what your schedule looks like. Your catcher films themselves doing drills, submits the video, and gets personalized feedback from a coach who's seen thousands of catchers and knows exactly what to look for.

At Catching Made Simple, we've worked with catchers from all across the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and other countries. Some are in small towns with zero catching instruction available. Some are in baseball-heavy areas but couldn't find a coach who clicked with their kid. The beauty of online training is that geography is no longer the barrier. Finding the right fit is all that matters.

How Online Catcher Training Actually Works

If you've never experienced online coaching, you might be picturing your kid sitting on the couch watching YouTube videos. That's not what this is. Let me walk you through what a quality online catching training program looks like.

Step 1: Assessment. 

A good program starts by figuring out where your catcher is right now. At CMS, we have catchers film a baseline video going through all their stances and movements. This gives us a starting point. We can see exactly what's working and what needs work.

Step 2: A structured plan that teaches skill step by step. 

Based on that assessment, the coach creates a practice plan tailored to your catcher's specific needs. Not a generic workout. A specific, progressive sequence of drills designed to fix their biggest bottlenecks first. We always start with stances because a good stance makes everything easier and a bad stance makes everything harder.

Step 3: Consistent practice, 3-7 times per week. 

Your catcher follows the plan, typically for 20-45 minutes per session. The drills are designed to be done at home with minimal equipment. No pitching machine required, no partner needed for most of them.

Step 4: Video submission and feedback. 

Your catcher films themselves doing the drills and submits the video. The coach reviews it and sends back personalized feedback. What's looking good, what needs adjustment, and exactly how to fix it. At CMS, students get multiple personalized video reviews per week.

Step 5: Repeat and progress. 

As your catcher masters one skill, the coach introduces the next challenge. We follow the Catching Made Simple Method, five levels of skill development:

1. Learn to move
2. Add a ball
3. Make it harder
4. Sharpen decisions
5. Let it eat

Each level builds on the one before it. And the whole process is designed around the idea that consistency is greater than intensity.

A phrase I learned in college from mental performance coach Brian Cain is "do a little a lot." And specifically, that a little a lot is better than a lot a little. Consistent rain leads to growth. Tons of rain at once leads to flash floods.

This is especially true when it comes to movement training, which is of the very first importance in my experience training hundreds of catchers at all age levels. You can't cram movement. You have to practice it regularly for it to stick.

The Strengths of Online Catcher Training

1. Consistency

This is the biggest advantage. When your catcher has a daily plan and a coach reviewing their video multiple times per week, they're getting more coaching touchpoints than almost any in-person arrangement can provide. Most in-person students see their coach once a week for an hour, if that. With online training, the coaching is woven into your catcher's weekly routine.

2. Accessibility

It doesn't matter if you live in rural Montana or downtown Los Angeles. You get the same quality coaching. You don't have to drive anywhere. You don't have to work around a facility's schedule. Your catcher practices when it works for your family.

3. Cost

A single in-person catching lesson runs $60 to $150 per hour. If you're going once a week, that's $240 to $600 per month for four hours of coaching. Online programs with personalized feedback typically run $50 to $500 per month and provide far more coaching touchpoints.

4. Coach Continuity

One of the most common frustrations I hear from parents is that their kid's catching coach left. Moved to a different city, took a college coaching job, or went back to playing. With online coaching, your catcher keeps the same coach for as long as you want. No restarts. No lost momentum.

The Strengths of In-Person Catcher Training

I'm going to be honest with you here because I think parents deserve honesty, not a sales pitch.

Real-time feedback is the biggest advantage of in-person. There's something valuable about a coach being physically present, adjusting your catcher's body position, seeing things from multiple angles in real time. Online coaching relies on video, which is excellent but not instantaneous.

Social environment matters too. Some catchers thrive in a camp or group lesson setting where they're working alongside other catchers. The energy and competition can be motivating.

Equipment access is easier in person. A facility with a pitching machine, a bullpen, and live pitching provides training scenarios that are hard to replicate at home.

My honest take: in a perfect world, your catcher would have both. Consistent online coaching for daily development plus occasional in-person sessions or camps for live reps. But if you can only pick one, I'll take consistent online coaching over a once-a-week in-person lesson every single time. Consistency wins. It's not even close.

What to Look for in an Online Catcher Training Program

Not all online programs are the same. Some are pre-recorded video courses you watch on your own. Some are coaching programs with personalized feedback. Some are a mix. Here's how to evaluate them.

Does the coach have a proven methodology? 

A good program isn't just a collection of random drills. It's a system. There should be a logical progression from fundamental movements to advanced game situations. Ask yourself: does this coach have a clear method, or are they just posting cool-looking drills?

Is there personalized video feedback? 

This is the dividing line between a course and a coaching program. Pre-recorded courses can be helpful. I have one myself. But they're not coaching. Coaching means someone is watching YOUR catcher's video and telling THEM specifically what to work on. If a program doesn't offer personalized feedback, it's a library, not a coach.

Are there real testimonials with real results? 

Look for specific stories, not just "great program!" reviews. Does the program have case studies showing where a catcher started and where they ended up? Can you see before-and-after video? Are there stories from families like yours?

Is the coach accessible to their clients? 

Can you ask questions? Does the coach actually respond? Is there a community of other families going through the same thing? I want to be real with you here. I'm too busy to be accessible to everyone who follows me on Instagram. But to my actual clients? That's a completely different story. Your coach should be available to the people they're coaching.

Do they teach the "why" behind the drills? 

This is my big one. Any coach can say "do this drill." A great coach explains WHY the drill matters, WHAT it's training, and HOW to know if you're doing it correctly.

One of the things I get the most positive feedback on is my ability to teach the why behind both ways of how catching coaches teach skills. This was drilled into me in college. As a communications major I studied Aristotle a lot, and he was very clear: you aren't qualified to talk on a topic unless you can argue both sides equally strong. When your catcher understands the why behind both approaches, they can make informed decisions and self-correct. That's when real learning happens.

Results: What Online Catcher Training Can Do

I could tell you online training works all day long. But you'd probably rather hear from families who've been through it.

Nate (14 years old, Canada) came to us as an already talented catcher who couldn't find quality coaching near him. He works out completely by himself. Just him and a rebound net in his backyard. The result? He's made tremendous progress in all of his fundamental skills and learned how to evaluate himself. He's set up to play at an elite level because his movements are so dialed in. All from his backyard in Canada.

Tristan and his dad Rob (8u) found us through Instagram and took the 7-Day Stance Challenge. When they started, Rob wasn't sure what his son should be working on at age 7. Through the program, they discovered exercises and techniques they never would have found on their own. The unexpected bonus? They became teammates. Rob described it as being "on the same team" with his son. Tristan is now mirroring the movements of pro catchers at 8 years old.

Teddy came in with a loose chest protector, trouble getting into a good stance, and no foundation on the core skills of catching. After working together for over two years, the confidence from his daily practice has carried over into school and life. He recently played his first varsity game as a sophomore. The philosophy of "5 minute habits, 5 year goals" is real, and Teddy is living proof.

Leyson was cut from his travel team. That lit a fire in him. He and his dad started training together at home every day before school, then added professional video feedback through CMS. The result? He made a better travel team, one that actually beat the team that cut him, and became a lockdown defender behind the plate. Other coaches started complimenting his catching unprompted.

These aren't outliers. This is what consistent practice with expert feedback produces. And every single one of these transformations happened online.

Common Objections Parents Have About Online Catching Training

I've talked to hundreds of parents over the years, and I hear the same concerns come up again and again. Let me address them directly.

"My kid needs someone in person to watch them."

I understand this instinct. But here's what I've found: video analysis is actually more thorough than most in-person observations. When I review a student's video, I can pause it, slow it down, compare it frame-by-frame to their previous submissions, and identify things that are nearly impossible to catch in real time. I can also rewatch it multiple times from different angles. In-person coaches see a drill once, in real time, and move on. Video lets us go deeper.

"They're too young for online training."

We've worked with catchers as young as 7 and 8 years old, and they've had incredible results. The key is that the parent is involved. For younger catchers, the program is really a parent-child experience. The parent learns alongside the catcher, and they practice together. It becomes quality time, not screen time. Tristan and Rob are the perfect example of this.

"We don't have the right equipment."

For stance work, mobility, and most fundamental drills, you don't need any equipment at all. Literally not even catching gear. For receiving and blocking drills, catching gear and a parent tossing is perfect. You don't need a pitching machine until you have gotten your movements right (sometimes it even hurts them by making them scared). You don't need a bullpen. The CMS approach is designed to work at home with what you have. And progress with you once you’re ready for the machine and more advanced coaching.

"How do I know it's working?"

This is a great question and one you should ask any coach, in person or online. At CMS, we have students film baseline videos at the start and then re-film regularly so you can see the progress side by side. You'll see the improvement with your own eyes. Coaches and teammates will start commenting on it too. When it's working, it's obvious.

"It seems expensive."

I get it. Let's do the math though. A single in-person catching lesson is $60 to $150. Once a week, that's $240 to $600 per month for four touchpoints. Online coaching with structured plans and multiple video reviews per week costs a fraction of that and provides far more consistent development. The question isn't whether online coaching is expensive. It's what the cost of not developing these skills is. If your catcher's stance is holding them back and they're sitting on the bench, what's that worth to fix? (For context, my baseball college scholarship was worth $9,000 a year, so $36,000 total. NIL wasn’t even an option then either!)

How to Get Started with Online Catcher Training

If you've made it this far, you're clearly serious about helping your catcher improve. Here's the simplest path forward.

Step 1: Grab the free resources. Head to catchingmadesimple.com/free for free catching resources, or take the 7-Day Stance Challenge at catchingmadesimple.com/stance. It's free, it takes 5 minutes per day, and it'll give your catcher a taste of what structured daily practice looks like. Over 2,500 catchers have taken the challenge. It's the perfect starting point.

Step 2: Apply to the Complete Catcher Protocol. If you're ready to go all-in on your catcher's development, this is our flagship program. It's a personalized coaching experience designed to take your catcher from wherever they are now to varsity-ready. You get the plan, the feedback, and the accountability. Everything we talked about in this article. Learn more and apply at catchingmadesimple.com/plan.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Catcher Training

What age is best to start online catcher training?

We've worked with catchers as young as 7 and as old as 18. For younger catchers (7-10), a parent should be involved as a practice partner. For catchers 11 and up, most can follow a practice plan independently with occasional parent support.

How much does online catching training cost?

It varies widely. Pre-recorded courses can range from $20 to $100 as a one-time purchase. Online coaching programs with personalized feedback typically range from $49 to $500 per month. Premium 1-on-1 coaching can run $500 to $2,000 per month. The right choice depends on your budget and how much personalized attention your catcher needs.

How much time per day does online catcher training require?

Most programs, including ours, are designed around 20-45 minutes of focused practice, 3-7 times per week. Consistency matters far more than volume. A catcher who practices 20 minutes five days a week will outpace a catcher who does a 2-hour session once a week.

Can my kid do online catching drills without a partner?

Yes. The majority of fundamental catching drills, including stance work, mobility, transfers, dry blocking, and mirror work, can be done completely solo. Some drills benefit from a partner or a wall to throw against, but a partner is not required to make significant progress.

Is online catching training effective for softball catchers too?

Absolutely. Baseball and softball catchers share the same fundamental skill set behind the plate: stances, receiving, blocking, and throwing. The mechanics are the same. We work with both baseball and softball catchers and the training translates directly.

How quickly will I see improvement from online catcher training?

Most families notice visible improvement within the first 2-4 weeks, especially in stances and overall athleticism behind the plate. Significant mechanical changes typically show up in 6-12 weeks of consistent practice. The speed of improvement depends largely on your catcher's consistency and willingness to put in the work.

At Catching Made Simple, I create content, courses, and coaching programs to help catchers increase their mobility, strengthen their mental game, and develop the physical skills they need to catch at a high level. Grab free catching resources here, or if you're ready for personalized coaching, check out the Complete Catcher Protocol here.