Mitchell Epstein, the Foxes’ first-team all-section catcher and one of the team’s top hitters, admits that growing up, he was never the best player on his baseball teams. In fact, he says, “Not even close.”
Now a senior, Mitchell, who was named a 2024 Tribune-Review “Player to Watch” in preseason rankings, credits his love for the game and his strong drive with motivating him to keep working hard.
Coach Jim Hastings says Mitchell has been a solid performer ever since he took over the starting position last season. He said he’s also extremely focused and credits his hard work over the years as paying off last year as a junior and now in his final high school season.
“Once I got to high school, I started to become a more complete hitter and elevated my game, but I still feel like I have much more to accomplish,” Mitchell says.
His coach, Jim Hastings, is very pleased with his production and contributions as a team leader.
“Mitchell is very good at blocking balls, and he has a quick release,” says the coach, who led the team to the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs last season. “He also has a good rapport with the pitchers, and that’s very important. They trust him.”
Destined to Catch
It might have been destiny that drew Mitchell to become a catcher. He actually wasn’t very passionate about baseball until something clicked in seventh grade when he started playing catcher.
“That’s really when my love of the game took off,” Mitchell says. “Ever since then, my interest in baseball has continued to increase year after year.”
So have his stats.
Mitchell has had a productive season, batting .370, and his on-base percentage is .490. (Batting average includes only hits. On-base percentage includes hits, walks, and hit by pitches.) He’s also batted in six runs and reached his top POP time of 1.89 over the summer. His typical average varies from about 1.95 to 2.00, all of which are good for a high school catcher. (POP time is how long it takes to get the ball to an infielder after the ball hits the catcher’s mitt.)
He cites the team’s first game against Penn-Trafford as his best so far this season.
“I went one for three with a double, caught a great game, and hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to win the game,” Mitchell recalls.
Coach Hastings adds, “The thing about Mitchell is that he is one of our leaders and a true student of the game. Even when he’s not playing, he’s watching other games or college or pro games. He can identify the strengths and weaknesses of other pitchers in the WPIAL and shares that information with the team. Sometimes he is like having another coach on the field.”
It’s the quality of their own pitching staff that Mitchell says is the team’s biggest strength,
“We have seven or eight guys who can deliver pitching performances for us in any given game,” he says. “I think my own best strength is my ability to work with and understand each of our pitchers and help them be the best versions of themselves.”
“At bat, he doesn’t strike out much, and in addition to his catching consistency, Mitchell has a great ability to get on base,” adds coach Hastings.
Mitchell shares what keeps him so interested in the game. He says, “The thing I like the most about baseball is how focused you must be on every pitch, especially since I am a catcher. The thought that goes into every inning, play, and pitch is something that I absolutely love. I have to understand and prepare for every outcome imaginable, and I need be able to work with the pitchers and have good communication. Our success goes hand-in-hand. When they have a good game, so do I.”