Independent league catcher somehow catches foul tip behind his back

So much about being a catcher requires speed. That seems silly, as catchers aren’t the fleetest of foot on the bases, but it’s true. Behind the plate, catchers need to show exceptional reflexes. They have to react to darting balls, spring up to throw out would-be base-stealers and slide into odd positions to block wild pitches.

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Excellent reflexes and hand-eye coordination are a necessity behind the plate. But in case you needed extra proof, take a look at this fantastic behind-the-back grab on a foul tip.

Did you follow the ball the whole time? It all happened pretty quick.

If you play the video back a few times, you’ll notice that the batter makes contact with the ball, deflecting it back near the catcher’s glove. It’s a foul tip. You’ve seen thousands of those before.

But you probably haven’t seen what happens next. The ball hits the catcher’s glove before he’s able to close it and deflects to his left. As it’s falling to the ground, the catcher displays some quick thinking, and swipes his glove around the front of his body, sweeping it around toward his back.

In the process, he snatches the ball out of mid-air before it hits the ground. The play ends with the catcher holding his mitt against his back, with the ball firmly in his glove.

The best part is that the play ended the inning. The batter had two strikes on him at the time of the foul tip. The catcher’s tremendous grab resulted in a strikeout. The batter can only stare in disbelief at what just happened.

The catcher, by the way, is Mason Katz of the Winnipeg Goldeneyes. The Goldeneyes are part of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.

You might also recognize the team they are playing. That would be the St. Paul Saints. The team is co-owned by actor Bill Murray. He’s technically listed as the “Team Psychologist” on the club’s website.

If Murray was watching, we’re guessing we didn’t find anything funny about this play. In the end, though, he got the last laugh. The Saints swept the rival Goldeneyes during the four-game series, extending their lead at the top of their division.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik