Jason Hagerty A Real Catch For Lake Elsinore Storm

Jason Hagerty could someday become the starting catcher of the San Diego Padres.

According to January’s edition of Baseball America, the projected starting lineup of the Padres in 2014 includes Hagerty. The switch-hitting native of St. Louis is the best catching prospect in the Padres’ farm system. He was ranked No. 10 among all minor league catchers by Baseball America.

But first things first – the 22-year-old third-year pro must advance past the high Single-A level, where he is currently playing with the Lake Elsinore Storm.

“I feel privileged and honored to be on something like that,” Hagerty said, when asked about the list before Thursday’s game at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore. 

A fifth-round draft pick out of the University of Miami in 2009, Hagerty is batting .304 for the Storm. In 14 games, Hagerty has one homerun, nine runs batted in and eight runs scored.

Lake Elsinore has struggled to a 6-11 start, thanks largely to 28 errors which have led to a league-high 32 unearned runs.

A key indicator of Hagerty’s success, though, has been the team’s earned-run average. His work behind the plate has helped the Storm to the second-lowest team ERA in the California League at 3.34 (San Jose is first at 2.88). Jose De Paula is 1-1 with an ERA of 1.93 while Chris Fetter (1-2) owns a 2.25 ERA.

“It’s getting these guys comfortable,” Hagerty said. “I’ve caught these guys last year. We keep working hard every day. It’s early in the season. I’m still getting in the groove of things. I feel confident with my blocking.”

Hagerty said he enjoys the challenge of working with different pitchers, from the power types to those who can locate well.

“I’m still learning every day,” Hagerty said. “Every pitcher has a different personality. You have to understand how it helps each guy.”

Hagerty said Jerry Sullivan is the toughest pitcher to handle. Sullivan suffered his first loss this season and allowed eight runs - none earned – in Thursday’s 15-5 loss to the High Desert Mavericks. Hagerty had the night off.

“He’s got a good mix of pitches,” Hagerty said. “Jerry’s a guy who goes right at guys. His fastball and changeup both have great movement.”

On April 9 at Lake Elsinore, in his first game this season, Hagerty displayed some of his power when he hit a fastball over the right-field wall for a solo homerun in a 10-3 loss to San Jose.

“I don’t really want to be seen as a power hitter,” Hagerty said. “I try to hit balls gap-to-gap. I try to spray the ball (all) over the place. I feel even on both sides of the plate. I feel it depends on what the pitcher is throwing. The pitching’s good here; I like to take an easy approach.”

Hagerty said he is focused on getting through this season and isn’t looking ahead to a call up to the next level.

In his first year of pro ball, he struggled at the plate, hitting a combined .218. He played 47 games with Eugene, Ore., of the Rookie League and five with the Portland Beavers in Triple A, where he was 2-for-15 at the plate.

“There’s definitely not a lot of us switch-hitting catchers out there," Hagerty said. “I’m not concerned about that. I know if everything works out well, I’ll be fine.”

Hagerty spent 2010 at Fort Wayne with the Padres’ low Single-A team. He had a season to remember, hitting .302 with 14 homeruns and 74 RBIs. Part of the reason was the fact he was able to get comfortable, playing in 122 games for the Tin Caps with 431 at-bats. He also threw out 28 percent of runners attempting to steal.

The performance earned Hagerty the Padres’ minor league Offensive Player of the Year award. He was also named to the Topps Class-A All-Star Team and helped Fort Wayne to the Midwest League playoffs.

“We won our first game,” Hagerty said. “In our second game we had a three-run lead, then we blew it. We lost in three games.”

Fort Wayne had high praise for him at the time.

"This honor is especially impressive considering Jason was selected as the best catcher from both Class-A and Advanced-A," TinCaps President Mike Nutter said in November.

One pitcher who is satisfied with Hagerty’s work is Lake Elsinore’s 6-foot-9 right-hander Matt “Big Country” Lollis, another highly-ranked prospect by Baseball America.

“Hags is a really good receiver,” Lollis said. “I have full confidence in throwing my breaking ball in the dirt. He’s got a good arm, great accuracy. He has all the great tools. He just needs to work on refining some of them. Everyone can get better.”

Hagerty said he feels great teammates like Lollis have that kind of confidence in something he takes great pride in.

“If they’re hesitant to throw that ball low, they won’t feel comfortable out there and that doesn’t help the team,” Hagerty said.

Lollis likes Hagerty as a teammate and as one of the guys.

“He’s a great guy,” Lollis said. “He likes joking around, but he knows how to get real serious when it’s game time. He puts a lot of pressure on himself. If he misses a ball in the dirt, or he misses a ball while he’s hitting, he’ll sort of yell at himself a little.”

Hagerty’s coaches rave about his skills.

“His throwing time to second base is about 1.8 seconds, which is very good,” Storm Manager Carlos Lezcano said. “I’m impressed with that. He blocks pitches in the dirt real well. He’s a college kid; he’s very mature. If he plays well, he’ll move fast (up the farm system). It depends on who is in the big leagues at the time, but he should move quickly. He’s doing a good job for us.”

Like many players at the A-ball level, Hagerty needs a little refinement in some areas.

“He needs to work on receiving, make sure his hands are consistent,” Lezcano said. “But he follows his game plan with the pitchers. They know they can throw down in the (strike) zone. His energy level’s high; he has good communication.”

Pitching coach Bronswell Patrick is another satisfied customer.

“The kid can play at Double-A ball right now,” Patrick said. “Not having pitchers shaking their head at his calls, having him know that a pitcher needs to throw a good inside fastball to a hitter during certain counts …. He’s gone through a learning process. He’s learning the hitters’ swings. He’s throwing the ball real well, getting rid of the ball quickly."

Patrick added that Hagerty improved after his first season in professional baseball, in 2009.

“He struggled with some things, like understanding the speed of the game at the professional level,” Patrick said. “He came back and played a lot better. Offensively, he hits some balls where you go, ‘Wow.'”

Hagerty improved during his three years at the University of Miami.  A part-time starter as a freshman, he came back to hit .289 with eight homers as a sophomore in 2008, helping the Hurricanes to a 53-11 overall record and a berth in the 2008 College World Series.

“It was great to play in Omaha,” Hagerty said. “It’s an experience I’ll never forget.”

The team wasn’t as strong the following year, going 38-22, but Hagerty blossomed with a .315 batting aveage, 14 homers and a team-high 60 RBIs.  That prompted the Padres to select him in the fifth round of the draft. 

Hagerty said growing up in St. Louis, where he was named the 2006 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year while playing for Vianney High School’s state championship squad, was a great experience.

“The atmosphere is awesome,” Hagerty said. “I went to Cardinals games quite often. My favorite player was Ozzie Smith.”

Padres minor league hitting coordinator Sean Berry, a former hitting coach with the Houston Astros, is impressed with Hagerty.

“He’s got some power, he’s a good player,” Berry said. “He got to go to his first major league camp this year, in Peoria (Arizona). He saw where he has a chance to be there for good. He did okay, he was a little nervous, but he got used to it.”

Hagerty could get used to this pro baseball thing.

“We have the job everyone wants,” Hagerty said. “Being around the team, traveling, seeing different cities … it’s been a lot of fun.”