SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — When the Rockies claimed off waivers from Cleveland a year ago, it seemed unlikely that he would leave spring training with the big league club.
After all, he was a middle infielder in the Indians organization, and had before joining the Rockies last spring. Turned out he was a quick study. Wolters seized the opportunity and ended up starting 58 games at catcher for the Rockies and appeared in 10 games as an infielder.
The 24-year-old drew praise from teammates and coaches for his game-management and pitch-framing abilities. He continues to impress new Rockies manager Bud Black, who was hired in November.
“Tony’s an outstanding young talent,” Black said. “He’s a position player that converted to catcher, and he’s taken it on in a way that I haven’t seen in a long time — just how natural he looks behind the plate for a guy who was in the high school draft and played middle infield.”
Wolters, a left-handed hitter, is expected to share the catching duties with , a right-handed slugger. Despite his lack of experience behind the plate, Wolters is considered the better defensive catcher while Murphy has the bigger bat.
Murphy hit .273 with five home runs and 13 RBI in 21 games after he was called up in September. Wolters hit .259 with three home runs and 30 RBI in 71 games last season.
“I didn’t expect to have this much success (changing positions), but I just try to get better,” Wolters said. “Anything I do in life, I just try to get better as fast as I can.”
His rapid development as a catcher was as surprising to those around Wolters as it was to him.
“It did surprise me,” said Rockies right-hander . “I didn’t really know the guy at first, but he brought a lot of energy to the field. I loved it . . .”
Wolters has excelled as a catcher due in part to the athleticism that made him a middle-infield prospect in the Indians organization. But instead of flashing leather up the middle, Wolters is using his quick hands to help the Rockies pitching staff.
“His hands are unbelievable,” starter said. “You throw him a pitch, and his hands are so quick that you can’t tell if you barely missed (the strike zone). Itap fun throwing to him.”
With so much still to learn at a position with such large responsibility, Wolters is trying to keep things simple.
“I just worry about catching it and making it look good, thatap my motto,” Wolters said. “I try to prepare myself and help the pitcher out. They already have such a tough job, so I just try to make their job a little easier.”
If Wolters is to put his imprint on the Rockies, which he believes he will, it won’t be due to his offense or even his impressive defense. It will be because of his willingness to embrace the position change.
“A lot of times when you take position players and you change positions, there’s not a complete buy-in,” Black said. “But he has bought in on this, and he has ran with it with a full head of steam.
“Itap been great to see, in a short period of time, him become the receiver, the blocker and just (show) the feel he has behind the plate . . . He looks like he’s been catching his whole life. Itap great to see, and he’s going to continue to get better.”
