Major League Catching Coach, Ryan Sienko, has a plethora of knowledge and a strong desire to help catchers at all levels improve. As the creator of Catch & Throw, a business devoted to improving baseball catchers’ abilities, Sienko has devoted his life to honing the methods and approaches that produce some of the best defensive players in the league. Sienko is essential to the Tigers’ attempts to enhance their catcher ability behind the plate because of his intense concentration on both the mental and physical components of catching. As he assists the Tigers catching staff in getting ready for another Major League Baseball season with the goal of sustained success and improvement, his coaching philosophy and leadership are crucial.
Sienko revealed his strategies for training the team’s catchers during this offseason. He highlighted the significance of honing essential skills like stance, balance, posture, and timing, stressing the necessity for comprehensive growth in receiving, blocking, throwing, and defense as a team. Sienko emphasized the importance of balancing physical abilities and mental development, noting that managing games and planning before games are both vital, with catchers beginning to learn these lessons early on in their careers. When inquired about the season objectives, Sienko emphasized that the primary goal is to secure the World Series, while personal targets encompass outstanding performance in receiving, throwing, and blocking—crucial skills that may pave the way for Gold Glove accolades, as demonstrated by Jake Rogers’ finalist status in 2024.
In Spring Training, Ryan Sienko emphasizes getting the Detroit Tigers’ catchers ready both physically and mentally for the new season. The main objective is to maintain the catchers’ health and enhance their stamina so they can manage the challenges of playing nine innings and consecutive games. Sienko emphasizes the necessity of rehearsing particular situations, making sure that each scenario has been practiced before it occurs in a match. To equip them both defensively and offensively, the team participates in daily individual and collective activities, which involve morning sessions to assess pitchers’ tools and approaches for confronting right- and left-handed batters.
They additionally engage in practical training with a device known as Trajekt, which simulates pitchers’ deliveries and pitch metrics, allowing catchers to experience a realistic sense of the pitches without requiring live scenarios. The catchers also take part in daily individual defensive drills that emphasize skills like throwing to bases, fielding bunts, and catching pop-ups. Sienko’s method features customized exercises designed to enhance catching, framing pitches, and fixing movement or skill errors. By following a systematic program, the aim is to guarantee that every element of a catcher’s abilities is refined and prepared for the season.
Ryan Sienko strongly prioritizes cultivating chemistry and trust among the catchers and pitchers throughout Spring Training. Acknowledging the physical, mental, and preparatory challenges faced by catchers, Sienko strives to ensure they feel respected and valued for their efforts. To enhance these connections, the team participates in multiple team-building activities including public speaking drills, wine and paint events, Topgolf sessions, golf outings, and even escape room tasks to encourage communication and problem-solving. This proactive method aids catchers in improving their interpersonal skills, thereby enhancing their communication with pitchers and building trust.
On the field, communication is crucial, and Sienko makes certain that catchers and pitchers talk each inning, covering the next hitters. With Pitch Com technology implemented, attention turns to efficient pre-game preparation to reduce mound visits and guarantee seamless in-game communication. In terms of game-calling, Sienko emphasizes the catcher’s critical role in recognizing both the strengths of the pitchers and the weaknesses of the hitters. Using data and analytics provided by the department, Sienko and his team diligently prepare catchers for the most advantageous matchups, emphasizing that the skill of game-calling is essential for a catcher to help secure wins.
While the Detroit Tigers get ready for the regular season, Major League catching coach Ryan Sienko employs a meticulous and data-focused strategy to assess his catchers throughout Spring Training. Sienko states that endurance and daily performance serve as clear signs of a catcher’s development toward being game-ready. He explained that “their effort and perseverance will demonstrate their advancement toward participating in games.” The coaching team depends on game reports that monitor essential metrics like pitch framing, blocking, and catching runners. Although these figures assist in assessing advancement, Sienko places less importance on Spring Training statistics, concentrating instead on overarching patterns as the season approaches.
In assessing which catchers are prepared, he emphasizes important performance metrics like strikes gained, blocking efficiency, and throwing precision. “I receive a daily and year-to-date measure of strikes gained, providing a glimpse into their daily performance,” Sienko mentioned, further explaining that performance trends inform particular drill activities. Blocking metrics, while occasionally subjective, assist in pinpointing areas that require improvement, whereas throwing evaluations emphasize quantifiable aspects such as arm strength, release time, and pop time. By utilizing cutting-edge technology such as the Hawk-Eye system, the team can examine every aspect to identify any competitive edge. In addition to physical readiness, mental preparedness is vital as specialists collaborate with the coaching staff to guarantee that catchers are focused both physically and mentally for the challenges of the regular season.
The catcher role is among the most physically challenging in baseball, and Detroit Tigers Major League catching coach Ryan Sienko adopts a tactical method to oversee his players’ workloads during the season. “We don’t strive to obtain work,” Sienko stressed. “I tailor the training for each person to ensure they receive the required repetitions to improve and be prepared to play.” He recognizes that although defensive abilities are essential, offensive performance is equally vital, allowing catchers to have time indoors for their hitting practice to sustain their careers in the Major Leagues.
Although Sienko is actively involved in skill development, he acknowledges the Tigers Performance, Medical, and Nutrition Departments for maintaining the catchers’ health throughout the lengthy season. These departments carefully track workloads, recuperation, and nutrition to guarantee players are physically ready every day. “The only way I can assist with this is by ensuring that the drills we conduct are safe and do not exceed workload limits,” he clarified. Conditioning and rehabilitation regimens are uniquely tailored, featuring personalized plans that athletes adhere to each day. Sienko commended his catchers’; commitment to their routines, recognizing their professionalism and devotion to maintaining peak fitness during the challenges of a Major League season.
Ryan Sienko’s experience and dedication to the team’s catchers’ growth are essential components of the Detroit Tigers’ success as they continue to change and prepare for the future. In addition to teaching technical skills, he creates an atmosphere that allows catchers to develop both psychologically and physically. Under Sienko’s leadership, the Tigers’ catching staff is in good hands and prepared to face the difficulties of the next season as Spring Training gets underway. His impact will surely have a big impact on how the squad performs overall and defensively in the upcoming season.
