WVU Freshman Gavin Kelly Showcases a Unique Skillset for a Catcher

Elite catchers can be rare to come by, especially at the college level. When you have two elite catchers, and one being a freshman, your program will be in good hands for the foreseeable future. Logan Sauve will definitely leave his mark on the WVU baseball program, but freshman Gavin Kelly is also standing out, and in some ways, redefining the catching position.  

The play that caught the attention of many was Kelly, listed at an uncommon 6-foot, 175 pounds for a catcher, being able to score from second base on a ground ball where the shortstop had to range to his left.  Kelly had a good jump on the pitch since he was stealing third, but there still was no play at the plate as he was able to coast in standing up.

That type of play could be seen from the prototypical outfielder or even middle infielder, but rarely a catcher. It also showcased the hustle from Kelly and his high IQ of where the ball was at and the jump he had on the pitch – also impressive to see from a true freshman at the major college level.   

WVU head coach Steve Sabins has high praise of Kelly, “You have to look for outs, you have to be aggressive, you have to want to win”, when talking about a back pick attempt from the young catcher.

Kelly saw plenty of different arms against Towson, as a total of 10 Mountaineer pitchers saw the mound in eight innings of work. Kelly handled each pitcher exceptionally well and controlled the tempo and the pace of each pitcher.  

“The tell-tale sign of a good catcher is you don’t notice him very often,” Sabins added.

“He caught a great game, he was aggressive, he stayed in the game.” 

The stereotypical catcher is usually a stocky build and large target who hits for power. It’s not to say Kelly can’t hit for power, as he has a double and triple on the year, but he’s just a complete hitter.  

The freshman is hitting .407, 5-for-5 on stolen base attempt, highlighted by a straight steal of home, and has only struck out twice in 27 at-bats. Kelly has played elsewhere besides catcher, but Coach Sabins has recognized his ability behind the plate, noting he is the future after Sauve and that his skillset can redefine the catcher position. 

WVU (15-1) will play a three game set against the Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-7), starting on Friday March 14th with the first pitch set for 7:00 p.m.  

For a related story, read the recap of the win against Towson.