The laughter from earlier slowly died down.
Alex stood near home plate, still slightly confused but calm as always. The sun above was warm, and the cool breeze brushed past his hair. He watched the others with quiet curiosity. Baseball was still strange to him—the gear, the positions, the cheers—but not unwelcome.
Coach Oki crossed his arms again and walked closer.
"…Excellent," he muttered with a grin. "You've got good instincts."
Alex stood straight. "Thank you, Coach."
Coach turned to the rest of the team.
"Alright, back to practice! Fraser, you stay here. Let's see how you handle fielding."
"Okay," Alex replied, his voice soft, but firm.
Kenta jogged over, eyes still wide.
"Dude. That hit… I'm still shaking," he whispered, grinning.
"I just swung," Alex said with a slight shrug.
Kenta stared at him. "That's not normal, you know."
Alex blinked. Was it? It had felt natural—too natural. Like something deep in his bones.
[A Few Moments Later – Practice Field]
Coach brought Alex to the side, where a crate of gloves, masks, and chest protectors was placed. The coach kneeled and started pulling gear out.
"So," Coach said, "What position did you play in your sport?"
Alex blinked. "Wicket-keeper."
"...Wicket what?"
"Wicket-keeper," Alex repeated.
Kenta leaned closer, puzzled.
"What's that?"
Alex looked at them both, thinking how to explain. He crouched slightly.
"In cricket," he began, "a wicket-keeper stands behind the batsman… kind of like how your catcher stands behind the batter."
Coach's eyebrows lifted slightly.
Alex continued, "The wicket-keeper wears gloves and pads, and catches the ball if the batsman misses. But it's more than just catching. He has to be quick, crouch low, and always be ready."
Kenta tilted his head. "So like a catcher…"
"But the wicket-keeper also tries to get the batsman out by stumping—hitting the stumps before the batsman returns. And they often shout out fielding advice during the match."
Coach Oki rubbed his chin.
"I see…" he muttered.
Alex finished, "And I was a good one. Fast hands. Sharp eyes."
And I liked being there, Alex thought. I liked watching over the whole field.
Coach smirked. "Then I've got just the place for you."
He pointed to the catcher's gear.
"You'll be our catcher."
Alex tilted his head. "Catcher?"
The coach stood and dusted off his pants.
"Let me explain how baseball works—if you're gonna join this team, you need to understand the game."
Alex nodded with full attention.
"There are nine fielding positions in baseball," Coach began. "And they all work together."
Coach drew lines in the dirt with a stick, sketching out a baseball diamond.
"First, there's the pitcher, who throws the ball."
"Then the catcher, who catches pitches and leads the defense. That's what you'll be doing."
Alex watched carefully.
Coach continued, "Then there's the infielders: first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, and third baseman."
Kenta raised his hand proudly. "I'm the shortstop!"
Coach smirked. "You're decent when you're not late."
"Oi!"
"And finally, there are outfielders: left field, center field, and right field. They catch long hits and return the ball fast."
Alex's eyes followed every word.
"The goal is to get three outs each inning. Outs can be strikeouts, fly outs, or force outs."
Coach stabbed the stick into the home plate he drew.
"The game is played in innings, with each team batting and fielding. The team with the most runs at the end wins."
Alex nodded slowly, processing.
"Catcher…" he repeated.
Coach Oki smiled faintly. "A catcher is the brain of the team. He sees the whole field. He guides the pitcher. He reads the batter. He throws to stop runners."
Alex's eyes lit up. That sounds a lot like what I did in cricket…
Coach Oki smiled faintly. "A catcher is the brain of the team. He sees the whole field. He guides the pitcher. He reads the batter. He throws to stop runners."
Alex's eyes lit up. That sounds a lot like what I did in cricket…
Coach stood silently for a beat, arms folded, gaze steady on the boy in front of him.
'This kid… he's never played baseball, but he picked up the bat like he's held it for years.
That home run… even some of our third-years can't hit an 87mph fastball. And with a wooden bat, no less.
We've always had pitchers with talent... but our catchers? None of them could lead. None had the presence.'
Oki exhaled, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
'But this one's different.
If his catcher skills match even half of his batting… then this year, we might finally make it.
Quarterfinals. Maybe even more.'
He crossed his arms a little tighter.
"Fraser," he said aloud. "Let's test your reflexes."
Kenta tossed Alex a chest protector and knee guards.
"You're about to feel the pain of being a catcher."
Alex caught the gear and smiled faintly.
"I've been hit with hard cricket balls before."
"You haven't been hit by Takuya's fastball," Kenta said with a smirk. "Let's see if you still smile after that."
Coach Oki barked, "Gear up! You're catching next!"
Alex adjusted the chest protector, tightened the shin guards, and picked up the mask.
He looked down at it—silent for a moment.
'Everything's unfamiliar here, he thought. But behind the mask… maybe I can find my place.'
Then, with one smooth motion, he placed the catcher's mask over his face.
Let's see what this game really is…
To Be Continued...
Author's Note:
If you spotted any mistakes, inconsistencies, or things that felt off—I'm all ears! Feedback and criticism are always welcome. Thanks for reading!