Austin Bossart; Calling His Game
From his days at O'Fallon (Ill.) High School until his senior year at the University of Pennsylvania, academics has been the top priority for Austin Bossart. Bossart graduated from Penn with a degree in economics along with a double minor in mathematics and computer sciences. The game of baseball was the add-in bonus for Bossart, who became enamored with America's pastime at the age of two.
Coming out of high school it was Bossart's defensive game that caught the eye of Penn coach John Yurkow. With his above average arm and willingness to learn behind the plate Bossart took over the reigns as starting catcher for the Quakers. "I was very fortunate to be given such a great opportunity, and I have to thank the coaching staff for everything they have done for me over the years". The next four years would allow Bossart to take his defensive skills behind the plate to the next level while also improving the offensive output.
The accolades for Bossart would peak after his senior season at Penn as he was named the Co-Ivy League Player of the Year as well as a national semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award. Bossart led the Quakers in batting average (.358), hits (49), and OBP (.420). He also recorded 13 doubles, four home runs, and 27 RBI. The only thing that Bossart would leave Penn without accomplishing was calling a game entirely on his own.
Bossart was drafted in the 14th round this past year by the Philadelphia Phillies and to him it was a dream come true, "Being drafted was one of the greatest moments of my life! I was with most of my family listening to the draft on the computer and only really slightly paying attention when it happened. I heard my name and couldn't believe it for a second because I was so excited".
Calling a game from a catcher's perspective is something that can be described as an art form. Many years of practice and studying along with analyzing pitchers and hitters are a majority of what factors into being able to call a game as a catcher. Bossart added this new aspect to his game right away picking the mind of Williamsport Crosscutters Head Coach Pat Borders. The new aspect would come with challenges for Bossart, "Calling a game is a new aspect of the game that I haven't experienced before since my coaches in college called pitches my entire 4 years at Penn. It's a learning experience every single day, and I am just trying to soak in all of the knowledge from our coaching staff".
The hard work is paying off for Bossart and not only behind the plate. Bossart recently hit his first professional home run in front of the home crowd at Susquehanna Bank Park that would seal a 4-3 victory for Williamsport. Bossart helped the Crosscutters pitching staff to a New York Penn League best 1.80 ERA and a 10-1 record during the month of June. The relationships that Bossart has been able to develop with the pitching staff has also been key, "They also have put a tremendous amount of trust in me, and I am very grateful for that. That motivates me even more to work hard every day, because how we work together sometimes determines how they do throughout the season. My goal is to make them look great and give them every opportunity to succeed".
Bossart also has something to pass along to the younger generation of up and coming catchers that might be finding the art of catching to be a little tougher than it seems. "Don't be afraid of making mistakes, calling your own game puts you in a position that can sometimes make it seem like you are always to blame. You have to understand that people are going to get hits and score runs, but you also have to realize that everyone is watching how you react and how you carry yourself".