Being a catcher is one of the busiest jobs not only in baseball, but in general. Imagine having to work on your blocking, throwing, and framing skills while studying your own pitchers and the opposition, preparing scouting reports, and planning games with the manager, the coaches, and your own players.
Sounds like a full-time job, only with the added fun of playing the game we all love.
If you were wondering why catchers tend to be a bit worse than your average outfielder or infielder with the bat, that’s why. They are, truly, baseball’s unsung heroes.
The Cleveland Guardians have a solid catching group with the offensive-oriented Bo Naylor, the defensive-minded Austin Hedges, and the versatile David Fry. Waiting in the wings, however, is minor leaguer Cooper Ingle.
Part of one of the league’s best farm systems, Ingle is the Guardians’ sixth-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline, and has already reached Triple-A. He did it last year, when he had a 28-game stint there with a respectable 105 wRC+.
Before that, he had posted a brilliant 148 wRC+ in Double-A, so it’s just a matter of time before we see Ingle in the majors. Well, time and opportunity.
For now, he is working to improve every facet of his game. Per manager Stephen Vogt, he made huge strides last year in one particular area.
“He did a great job last year, taking a step forward in his game planning. We’re hoping he continues that down that path, but we’re very excited for Cooper’s future,” Vogt said, per Mason Horodyski.
“He did a great job last year taking a step forward in his game planning. We're hoping he continues that down that path, but we're very excited for Cooper's future”#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt on catching prospect Cooper Ingle’s spring#GuardsBall x @WEWS pic.twitter.com/bBkzfkqWZc
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 13, 2026
Organizations like the Guardians are the ones that really value game planning. Getting to know the opposition and its weaknesses to exploit them while working with your own staff’s strengths is a big part of baseball, and Ingle is getting familiar with the daily grind.
The bat appears to be there, even if there isn’t much game power at the moment. Ingle knows how to draw a walk: his lowest OBP as a professional was a marvelous .379 in 2024, in Double-A.
Once he fully learns how to successfully plan a game and take advantage of all the resources he has at his disposal, he has the talent to be a starter behind the plate someday.
NEXT: Guardians Coach Notices Rare Trait In Top Prospect
