/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54026891/usa_today_9605957.0.jpg)
Range isn’t normally a tool thrown around when talking about catchers. Catchers by nature have a set area to work in. Catchers normally work from the plate to the backstop, maybe help as a backup for throws to first and a run down or two.
But Astros minor league catcher Garrett Stubbs shows off his range from behind the plate on Thursday against the Cubs. For the final out, he raced to snag a pop up to end the Astros’ 8-6 win.
The Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber lifted a pitch high into the air with the defense shifted heavy to the right side for the left-handed hitter.
Stubbs quickly recognized the ball and sprinted out to catch the ball on the run.
Statcast noted that Stubbs covered 85 feet to catch the ball, the longest distance covered by a catcher in the Statcast era. He also had a route efficiency of 97.8 percent.