Freshman Backstop Has Firm Grip On Wildcats

OMAHA—Cesar Salazar had the best view in TD Ameritrade Park on Monday as Arizona lefthander J.C. Cloney carved up Coastal Carolina in Game 1 of the College World Series finals. From behind the plate, Salazar helped guide Cloney through a four-hit shutout, which as the Wildcats won, 3-0, to move a win away from the national championship.

Salazar said Cloney had “unbelievable” control and was hitting his spots about 95 percent of the time. While Cloney may have been pounding the zone, he said Salazar, a freshman, has helped all of Arizona’s pitchers get strikes all season.

“We always call him a suction cup,” Cloney said. “He gets you strikes, he’ll turn balls into strikes, and it’s unbelievable, especially with him as a freshman.”

Salazar has been behind the plate much of the year, particularly down the stretch. He has caught five of Arizona’s six games at the CWS, where the Wildcats’ pitchers have excelled. They have allowed just six earned runs in the tournament and struck out 54 batters in 54 innings.

Salazar said he’s enjoying working with the Wildcats’ pitchers, particularly the more veteran ones such as Cloney and senior righthander Nathan Bannister.

“Bannister, JC, they’re experienced guys, they know how to control home plate, they know how to spot pitches a lot better than in high school,” Salazar said. “High school guys I feel like they just try to throw hard. It’s really fun working with all these pitchers.”

Part of their success is thanks to Salazar, who is playing well beyond his freshman status.

“He’s a good player and has been a good player from the start, but his improvement throughout the year has changed a lot of things for our team,” coach Jay Johnson said. “That’s not a freshman back there. You might go, ‘Freshman catcher at the College World Series, not sure that’s a good idea,’ but I don’t even think of it that way.”

Salazar said he doesn’t think of himself as a freshman any more either. And he plays with the poise of a veteran behind the plate. Johnson said some of Salazar’s poise is attributable to his background.

“He’s just solid,” Johnson said. “He has a great family structure. They’re phenomenal people, they’re extremely hard working, extremely caring. I mean those are great qualities to have in your catcher, a guy that’s going to be a focal point in your team and a leader the next couple years.”

Salazar was born in Mexico and moved to Arizona along with righthander Javier Medina during his sophomore year of high school. Salazar moved in with Vinnie Tarantola, a travel ball coach, with the intention of playing Sahuaro High School. But they were never able to get the situation squared away with the Arizona Interscholastic Association, which declared him ineligible his first two seasons in Arizona. Salazar began his senior year playing for Sahuaro, but only got 18 games into the year before again being declared ineligible.

Scouts were intrigued by Salazar and Medina despite the difficult seeing them play last spring, and Medina was drafted in the third round by the Rockies. Salazar went on to Arizona.

While Salazar was able to play during the summer—it was at the Area Code Games that Johnson first saw him—this is his first full season being able to play in the States. He said he’s enjoyed just being able to play.

“It’s fun not having to think about, ‘Oh someone from my team is going to tell someone from the Association,’” Salazar said. “It’s fun playing with no fear of being ineligible. This is the first season I’ve played in my life. It’s been a roller coaster, mostly ups.”

Salazar has been critical for Arizona defensively, but he has also contributed at the plate. On Monday, he went 1-for-4 and scored a run. He is hitting .281/.325/.349, and has helped add length to the Wildcats lineup.

Johnson said he believes there is plenty more room for Salazar to grow as a player.

“He’s got a potential to hit in the middle of our order in the future,” Johnson said. “He’s taken some really good at bats in the postseason that have allowed us to get here. I think his best days are in front of him.”

In Salazar’s immediate future, however, is a chance to play for the national championship. It is what he has hoped for since committing to Arizona. While the stakes will be higher Tuesday (and Wednesday, if the series goes to three games), Salazar said he and the rest of the Wildcats are trying to use the added pressure in a beneficial way as they chase their dream.

“You can use it as motivation, you can use it to make you better,” Salazar said. “That’s the way we’re using it.”