Kyle Higashioka’s veteran presence impresses Rangers’ pitching workers
nn”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”thumbnail_url”:null,”sort”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”wealthy”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”The Rangers’ All-Star and Gold Glove Award-winning catcher Jonah Heim struggled in 2024, very similar to many gamers throughout a down yr. Each catchers coach Bobby Wilson and offseason coordinator Donnie Ecker anticipate a bounceback yr for Heim, however having a high quality catcher to share time with him behind the plate was undoubtedly a precedence this offseason.nnAnd Higashioka is strictly the kind of catcher that the Rangers love.”,”sort”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2024-12-03T18:28:47.179Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2024/2024-12/03/1ca880bc-3017ba94-e4a89acc-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”sort”:”video”,”description”:”Kyle Higashioka shares his pondering course of behind agreeing to a two-year take care of the Rangers, Chris Younger’s dedication in buying him and extra”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”length”:”00:01:34″,”slug”:”kyle-higashioka-reacts-to-deal-with-rangers”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-140″,”title”:”Texas Rangers”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:140″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-543309″,”title”:”Kyle Higashioka”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:543309″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”vod”,”title”:”vod”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”press-conference”,”title”:”press conference”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”offseason”,”title”:”offseason”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”transactions”,”title”:”transactions”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”send-to-news-mlb-feed”,”title”:”Send To News MLB feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/a0o1ya4xyxh56vxpb9tj”},”title”:”Kyle Higashioka reacts to take care of Rangers”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/kyle-higashioka-reacts-to-deal-with-rangers”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”He’s a veteran that handles a pitching workers nicely and is elite at pitch framing. Whereas his blocking and managing of the operating sport has been a lot much less constant over his profession, that is probably not the most important emphasis of his worth to a crew.nn“He’s made my life rather a lot simpler, to be trustworthy with you,” Wilson stated. “Up thus far, he is aware of what he needs to do. He is aware of what’s labored for him. He is been open to concepts and ideas and simply the mentoring of the youthful guys has been a very, actually massive assist. He is taken the time to spend time with Jack and [Kumar Rocker]. He is taken the additional time to essentially assist these guys progress and develop.nn“It does not present up within the field rating, proper? However you see it each day. You see the eye to element and the keenness that he has speaking with these guys. That is what these guys want. They want a veteran man to information them, to assist them, to steer them. That is most likely been the most important factor.””,”sort”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”OEmbed”,”html”:””,”providerName”:”MLB”,”providerUrl”:null,”thumbnail_url”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/picture/add/ar_121:168,c_fill,g_face/w_121/v1/individuals/543309/motion/vertical/present”,”sort”:”oembed”,”width”:425,”contentType”:”wealthy”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”Pitcher and catcher communication has all the time been on the forefront of Wilson’s teachings because the catchers coach since 2021. Bochy, a former Main League catcher, has solely achieved extra to emphasise that since turning into supervisor in 2023.nnHigashioka has match completely into the membership’s catching core in a brief period of time.nn“Peer-to-peer communication, peer-to-peer conversations, it grows gamers a lot greater than a coach saying, ‘Hey, do that, do this, do that, do this,’” Wilson stated. “They’re each within the fireplace collectively. That form of communication, it is paramount to success for these guys and when you might have individuals which are engaged. It is instrumental within the development of our pitchers and our collective catching division.”nnLeiter emphasised how good it’s for a younger pitcher like himself to have a catcher that expresses real curiosity within the day-to-day facets of pitching, whether or not that’s sport planning and pitch sequencing or simply easy methods to belief your stuff each day trip.”,”sort”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2025-02-18T23:23:33.193Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2025/2025-02/18/a4e86329-bf9731aa-6d6f7dfb-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”sort”:”video”,”description”:”Bruce Bochy discusses his pitching workers, the function the center reliever performs on his crew, Jack Leiter’s development and extra”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”length”:”00:01:25″,”slug”:”bruce-bochy-on-his-pitchers-at-spring-training”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-140″,”title”:”Texas Rangers”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:140″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”vod”,”title”:”vod”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”interview”,”title”:”interview”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”spring-training”,”title”:”Spring Training”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”cactus-league”,”title”:”Cactus League”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/cxhohomxlw7y4pfp0r2y”},”title”:”Bruce Bochy on his pitchers at Spring Coaching”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/bruce-bochy-on-his-pitchers-at-spring-training”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”Whether or not a rookie or veteran pitcher, it’s all the time essential to have belief in your catcher. Once you’re within the trenches with them each day, that’s all that issues.nn“I feel it is one thing that I attempt to make one in every of my strengths,” Higashioka stated. “The expertise half is admittedly massive, as a result of simply having the ability to study from experiences I’ve had with different pitchers, after which utilizing that with a few of the youthful guys arising. If I will help them not directly, develop and attain their potential, then I feel that is a win for me. We positively have a ton of gifted younger pitchers right here. I simply need to use the expertise to my benefit.””,”sort”:”textual content”}],”relativeSiteUrl”:”/information/kyle-higashioka-s-veteran-presence-impresses-rangers-pitching-staff”,”contentType”:”information”,”subHeadline”:null,”abstract”:”This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry’s Rangers Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. 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4:56 PM UTC
This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry’s Rangers Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Kyle Higashioka completed catching a bullpen on the backfields of the Rangers’ complicated earlier than taking time to speak with ace Jacob deGrom. He did the identical just a few days later with Jack Leiter, one in every of a handful of younger Texas pitchers in camp this spring.
Higashioka, who the Rangers signed to a two-year deal this offseason, wasn’t the flashiest of additives. However it could be one of the vital essential, all issues thought-about. He’s the proper form of veteran participant for the membership going into 2025.
“He’s a very sensible participant that handles his workers so nicely,” stated supervisor Bruce Bochy. “He is a winner. He is ready. He is bought lots of expertise to attract on so far as sport calling and the suggestions that he may give to those younger gamers. We, as a workers, hopefully do no matter we will do to make a participant higher, however a teammate can actually present that simply as a lot as a result of it is coming from a peer, and so they’re in a position to attract on their expertise and discuss issues that they know that may assist them.”
The Rangers’ All-Star and Gold Glove Award-winning catcher Jonah Heim struggled in 2024, very similar to many gamers throughout a down yr. Each catchers coach Bobby Wilson and offseason coordinator Donnie Ecker anticipate a bounceback yr for Heim, however having a high quality catcher to share time with him behind the plate was undoubtedly a precedence this offseason.
And Higashioka is strictly the kind of catcher that the Rangers love.
He’s a veteran that handles a pitching workers nicely and is elite at pitch framing. Whereas his blocking and managing of the operating sport has been a lot much less constant over his profession, that is probably not the most important emphasis of his worth to a crew.
“He’s made my life rather a lot simpler, to be trustworthy with you,” Wilson stated. “Up thus far, he is aware of what he needs to do. He is aware of what’s labored for him. He is been open to concepts and ideas and simply the mentoring of the youthful guys has been a very, actually massive assist. He is taken the time to spend time with Jack and [Kumar Rocker]. He is taken the additional time to essentially assist these guys progress and develop.
“It does not present up within the field rating, proper? However you see it each day. You see the eye to element and the keenness that he has speaking with these guys. That is what these guys want. They want a veteran man to information them, to assist them, to steer them. That is most likely been the most important factor.”
Pitcher and catcher communication has all the time been on the forefront of Wilson’s teachings because the catchers coach since 2021. Bochy, a former Main League catcher, has solely achieved extra to emphasise that since turning into supervisor in 2023.
Higashioka has match completely into the membership’s catching core in a brief period of time.
“Peer-to-peer communication, peer-to-peer conversations, it grows gamers a lot greater than a coach saying, ‘Hey, do that, do this, do that, do this,’” Wilson stated. “They’re each within the fireplace collectively. That form of communication, it is paramount to success for these guys and when you might have individuals which are engaged. It is instrumental within the development of our pitchers and our collective catching division.”
Leiter emphasised how good it’s for a younger pitcher like himself to have a catcher that expresses real curiosity within the day-to-day facets of pitching, whether or not that’s sport planning and pitch sequencing or simply easy methods to belief your stuff each day trip.
Whether or not a rookie or veteran pitcher, it’s all the time essential to have belief in your catcher. Once you’re within the trenches with them each day, that’s all that issues.
“I feel it is one thing that I attempt to make one in every of my strengths,” Higashioka stated. “The expertise half is admittedly massive, as a result of simply having the ability to study from experiences I’ve had with different pitchers, after which utilizing that with a few of the youthful guys arising. If I will help them not directly, develop and attain their potential, then I feel that is a win for me. We positively have a ton of gifted younger pitchers right here. I simply need to use the expertise to my benefit.”