SANDY, Utah – From his spot behind home plate,
Colton Shaver becomes the eyes and ears for the rest of his team. That's one reason why Shaver is in his natural element as a catcher.
The
Jordan (Sandy) senior can anticipate what opposing batters want to do and finds ways to help the entire Beetdiggers defense respond to the challenge. Shaver knows he is the only player who can see the entire field at all times, so he relishes preparing his teammates for what lies ahead from one inning to the next.
Colton Shaver, Jordan
Photo by John Coon
"It's cool to watch," Shaver said. "You can just see everything develop. When there's a great play, you never miss it. You always see it. You always know exactly what you're doing and you always see what exactly they're doing."
Shaver's attention to detail is one reason why he is Jordan's most valuable hitter. In the team's first six games, he has five home runs and five doubles. Shaver leads Class 5A in doubles and he is the state co-leader with Snow Canyon's Brady Sargent in home runs.
See the MaxPreps Utah baseball stat leaderboardsShaver has found a way to make an impact from home plate even as opponents have started intentionally walking him two or three times per game.
"His pitch recognition is incredible," Jordan coach Chad Fife said. "He hits an off-speed pitch better than he hits a fastball, which will help him at the next level when he moves on. His work ethic is untouchable. It's unbelievable."
Becoming a consistent long-ball threat is the culmination of countless hours Shaver has put into both conditioning his body and refining his technique. He does all the necessary lifting and batting practice to build strength and power. But he also spends hours breaking down footage of Major League hitters like Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Derek Jeter to see how they approach pitches.
Shaver draws elements from his film studies that align with his own skill set and he uses them to enhance his own swing technique. He firmly believes how you hit the ball matters more than how far you can hit it.
"It's more a matter of technique," Shaver said. "Strength comes with it and you need strength. You need to be able to hit with power. But I can have all the strength in the world and not hit them if I don't have the right technique."
Shaver's hard work has made him a pitcher's nightmare this season. It has also made him a good role model for younger players in the Jordan program.
Fife said Shaver brings a ton of composure and good leadership to the field. The Beetdiggers can count on him to keep the team steady through tough innings because he remains calm and measured in how he approaches the game.
"He's just so well-disciplined," Fife said. "A lot of kids this age aren't well-disciplined. If he makes a mistake, he can fix it immediately. He's just very patient."
Shaver will have the chance to refine his hitting and catching at the next level. The senior is committed to play for BYU starting next season. He chose the Cougars over several interested schools that included Mississippi, Utah, Utah Valley State and San Diego.
For Shaver, what he's doing this season and the chance to keep playing at a high level next season offers a validation of all the effort he has put into becoming a better all-around baseball player over the past four years.
"It shows me all my work has paid off – all the work I've put in. All my individual time. All the sacrifices I've made just so I can play the game I love and be good at it," Shaver said.
John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps. You can contact him at john_coon@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports
