One of the most interesting parts of Major League Baseball is watching catchers call pitches. It’s one of the most important parts of being a catcher—and a big reason why the position is so valuable.
But this season, the Miami Marlins’ farm system is trying something different. Throughout the Marlins’ minor league games in 2025, pitches are being called from the dugout instead of behind the plate. Predictably, not everyone is a fan of that change.
Former MLB Catchers Review What Miami Marlins Organization Is Doing
The Fish on First Twitter page recently shared comments from Craig Mish during a Marlins radio broadcast. Mish explained that across the Marlins’ minor league teams, coaches in the dugout are now calling pitches. He also said, “They’re taking that out of the catcher’s hands… It’s giving the catchers an opportunity to become better offensive players.”
That’s a bold move—and one that’s already drawing criticism. Calling pitches from the dugout isn’t common at the MLB level. Most big-league catchers are responsible for calling every pitch during games.
Former MLB catchers A.J. Pierzynski and Erik Kratz aren’t happy about the move. Pierzynski said:
“The coach in the dugout does not know what the pitcher has that day. The catcher with experience that watches his pitcher can tell how a hitter reacts. Sitting over in the dugout you can not do that.
“I have a problem with it because it takes out the best part of a catcher for a lot of people… getting your pitcher through extra innings because you watch him and you know, especially starters—we can get them deeper because we know what they have.
These are parts of the game you can’t take away… and one of the worst parts is, why are we calling pitches? These are professional baseball players.”
Kratz agreed. He added:
“That is NOT the recipe for success for a team to grow and build.”
He makes a solid point. What happens when one of these minor league catchers gets called up to the Marlins and suddenly has to call a game on his own?
Could this become a bigger trend across the minor leagues? That feels unlikely. Most agree that catchers need to develop their game-calling skills as much as their offense. It’s part of helping pitchers succeed—not just swinging the bat.