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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

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IU senior trying to replace Schwarber behind the plate

Senior Brad Hartong walks off the field during the Hoosiers' scrimmage on Saturday at Bart Kaufman Field. Hartong will be the starting catcher this season, replacing Kyle Schwarber who was drafted fourth in the first round of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

It’s not easy replacing a legend.

That’s what senior catcher Brad Hartong’s job will be this season when he replaces Kyle Schwarber, who was drafted fourth in the Major League Baseball draft, the highest in IU history.

That isn’t to say Hartong isn’t a capable replacement.

“I love throwing to Brad, we all do,” senior pitcher Luke Harrison said. “We’re going to miss Schwarber, but we’re not losing too much with Brad behind the plate.”

Last season Hartong spent most of his time in left field, where he earned first team All-Big Ten honors and hit .313. But Hartong isn’t unfamiliar with the area behind the plate.

He was a full-time catcher at Cypress College in 2012 before transferring to IU. Hartong only caught about once every three games, but feels being the starting catcher won’t effect his ?offensive production.

“Not at all because that’s what I did at junior college so I’m used to it,” Hartong said. “There’s more games here, but we get the treatment, we get the ice, so I don’t think it’ll affect me at all.”

Hartong spent the most time cathing Christian Morris. But he still spent time catching other pitchers in bullpen sessions, so he is familiar with the rest of the pitching staff’s styles. But he still spent a large amount of time in the fall trying to learn each pitcher’s tendencies.

The most noticeable difference between Hartong and Schwarber are their heights. While Schwarber’s 6-foot frame is by no means small, it certainly looks it compared to his 6-foot-5 replacement.

That gives IU pitchers a larger target and provides Hartong more of a chance to block curveballs in the dirt.

But that height could also prove disadvantageous for Hartong. If a catcher sits too high in his squat, it is possible for the low strike at the knees to disappear because the catcher has trouble getting low enough.

His pitchers and coaches think that won’t be a problem. Lemonis said Hartong is one of the best catchers you can find. Morris said he enjoys watching Hartong catch when he’s not pitching.

“He’s one of the best catchers that I’ve ever thrown to and that I’ve ever seen play,” Morris said. “There’s a certain thing about catchers when you see them get that low strike and you can tell they’ve got that certain persona about them.”

Harrison also praised Hartong’s ability to frame pitches as well as his ability to control the opposition’s running game.

But perhaps the greatest strength Hartong possesses is his personable attitude. Harrison called Hartong extremely complimentary and said he just makes him feel good when he’s pitching.

Morris, who threw to Hartong more than anyone else last year, agreed.

“He’s just a really easy guy to get along with,” Morris said. “You can never meet him and throw one bullpen to him and he’s going to have your back thick and thin.”

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