What do Marcell Ozuna, Martin Prado, Marwin Gonzalez, and Carlos González have in common? Drew Butera, known for his strong arm as one of the game's best defensive catchers, struck out all four MLB stars while pitching on the mound. In the April 6, 2020 episode (#127) of the with Jake, Jomboy, and former teammate Trevor Plouffe, Team Italy and Colorado Rockies catcher Drew Butera explains how he found his position but always thought he had pitching potential.
Entitled "Catcher Drew Butera was Born to Pitch", the entertaining hour-plus episode showcases the multi-talented 36-year-old MLB veteran player. Drew Butera said, "I was a shortstop. I had good hands, a good arm, but I lacked range. My dad (former MLB catcher, Toronto Blue Jays scout, and Team Italy coach Sal Butera) never let me pitch because he never wanted me to hurt my arm because that was my best tool. Putting two and two together with good feet and a good arm...shortstop and catcher have that in common because you need those two tools to play. And moving just a foot instead of 15 feet to catch a ball...so it was an easy transition for me. I still think I could have been one hell of a pitcher." Listen to the full episode below. Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
