In a rural classroom many years ago, a second-grade teacher asked her students what they wanted to be when they grew up. One little boy in that room confidently raised his hand and told his teacher, “When I grow up, I want to be a big league baseball player.” It was one of those responses that teachers think are cute but not based in reality. That second grader was serious, and a few years later, he won Rookie of the Year for the Cincinnati Reds. His name was Johnny Bench, which for a certain generation was synonymous with what being a catcher meant.
It doesn’t matter what age or level they are at in the game of baseball, a great catcher is one of the most important assets a baseball team can have.
Charlton County sophomore catcher Trevor Knowles has that same type of Bench confidence that a catcher must have. Catchers see everything on the field; other than the pitcher, catchers touch the baseball more than any other player.
“Last year as a freshman, we thought Trevor was going to be a JV catcher that we could use in emergencies on the varsity level if we needed it,” Thad Marchman, Charlton County head baseball coach, said. ”We had just graduated our full-time starting catcher, Chandler Peeples, but had Isreal Gilyard at the top of the depth chart to start the season. Trevor came in determined. Thinking back on last year, I feel like he was in the mindset of, ‘I am going to do anything possible to get on the field.’“
Knowles also plays football and baseball for the Indians but excels at baseball. He started playing tee ball when he was three years old but was playing catch with his brother even before that. Other teams – not just his coaches – have noticed his ability and how naturally Trevor fits behind the dish.
“I love the game of baseball,” Knowles said. “I want to be the best, and I am willing to work hard for that. Whether it’s putting in extra reps in the weight room, extra swings in the cage, or staying late after practice working on footwork and technique.”
Over the years Marchman developed the Indians into a Class A power. The Indians won their region for five years straight. Knowles understands that and is willing to do anything to keep the region title streak alive. Players like Knowles and his older brother, Austin, who he was looked up to, keep that region title drive alive each season.
“It’s a long and hard process to start as an underclassman,” Knowles said. “You have to compete daily. Being a catcher, it is so important to learn attention to detail. You need to know what pitches to call at the right time and when to throw behind runners.”
As Knowles has learned his position, Marchman has been able to rely on him more.
“He simply did everything we asked of him with intensity and urgency,” Marchman said. “It got to the point where he was setting the example as a freshman of how to practice. This practice speed allowed him to improve rapidly. The next thing you know, he is starting behind the plate when we throw our number one pitcher. He simply cares about the game, how it’s played, and winning. He is a coachable kid. This is probably the best compliment I can give a young player. Halfway through the season, he was catching our number one and number two. By the time the playoffs rolled around, he was our starting catcher, full time. If everyone on our team practiced with the energy that Trevor practices with, we would be better by ten fold. Sometimes players think that that extra effort does not ‘look cool.’ Trevor learned early that the extra effort gets you on the field, gains the confidence of the coaching staff, and causes your teammates to respect your play. That is cool.”
Catching is not just about handling pitchers. Knowles proudly acknowledged that he catches the best pitching rotation in Class A, but he knows coaches have more expectations of him.
“I still have to block the plate and knock the ball down,” Knowles said. “And you get hit, but I just have to endure the pain. The coaching staff expects exceptional effort from me. They expect me to lead by example. We always meet after the game and go over what we did and what we did wrong, and my Dad does the same thing when I get home.”
Trevor’s favorite part of catching is gunning down runners on the basepaths when they are trying to steal on him.
“Being a baseball player in general has taught me a lot of character,” Knowles said. “Being a varsity catcher as an underclassman will give me a lot of experience, and it has taught me how to be patient. It has taught me that hard work pays off.”
SE-MI-0317-Knowles
Catching On
Written by: John Wood
