It is uncommon to see a catcher as an offensive powerhouse, but in three seasons behind the plate for the Ravens, Evan Hammond has been just that.
In a comeback season after missing much of 2012, Hammond batted .457 and led the team to the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association national tournament.
Ravens shortstop Steve Renaud said while catchers in the MLB are usually defensive specialists, Hammond has always been strong on offence.
“[Hammond’s] always been one of the best hitters,” Renaud said. “He doesn’t really let the catching affect him, a lot of the time that’s what gets [catchers], spending the whole game back there crouched.”
Ravens pitcher Wil McIntyre said Hammond was not only a huge contributor, but a leader and a great teammate.
“I’ve had the pleasure of playing with [Hammond] for almost seven years now,” he said. “He’s just a fun guy to be around, he’s got a great sense of humor, but he’s serious about the game, and he’s a leader.”
On a team that featured a lot of rookies, Renaud said he and Hammond had to play the good-cop bad-cop routine, with Renaud keeping them in line while Hammond was more positive and encouraging respectively.
McIntyre said Hammond’s position at catcher is of great importance to the team’s dynamics.
“The catcher is vital, he’s usually the most important player on the team, just because he gets to see the whole field,” he said. “He pretty much dictates the pace of the game, and he has to call the game, and [Hammond] does a great job doing it.”
