Facilities
- Mt. Airy - Back Acre Circle
Catching Instruction Built on Responsibility and Results
At Pease Baseball Professionals, we treat catching as one of the most demanding and influential positions on the field. Our instruction is built through years of hands-on development with catchers who have learned to control the game, lead pitching staffs, and handle the physical and mental demands of the position.
We focus on the details that matter at game speed. Everything we teach is intentional, repeatable, and designed to translate directly to competition.
Receiving, Blocking, and Throwing With Purpose
Our catching instruction emphasizes clean, efficient receiving that allows catchers to present pitches properly and steal strikes without excess movement. Blocking is trained through controlled, progressive drills that build confidence handling pitches in the dirt while maintaining athletic posture and recovery.
Throwing mechanics are developed to improve footwork, transfer efficiency, accuracy, and pop times. We prioritize clean movement patterns that allow catchers to throw with intent while protecting their bodies over the long term.
Game Management and Pitcher Control
Great catchers do more than catch baseballs. They manage pitchers, control tempo, and bring calm to chaotic moments. We train catchers to understand pitch calling, situational awareness, and how to lead a staff with confidence. Communication, presence, and decision-making are treated as skills that can and should be developed.
Technology That Supports Development
The technology and tools we use exist to enhance instruction, not replace it. When implemented, they provide clear feedback and measurable progress while reinforcing the fundamentals taught on the floor. Data is used to sharpen understanding and accelerate growth, never to overwhelm the athlete.
Coaching, Connection, and Accountability
Our coaches build strong relationships with catchers because trust is essential at this position. We hold our athletes to high standards while mentoring them through the challenges that come with the role. Leadership is modeled daily, not demanded.
Beyond the Gear
Catching develops qualities that extend far beyond baseball. Accountability, toughness, communication, and resilience are part of every session. Our commitment is to develop catchers who lead with confidence, compete with purpose, and carry those traits into every area of their lives.
“We develop catchers who control the game, not just the position.”
Dustin Pease – Founder – Pease Baseball Professionals
Catching Instructors
Jacob Ference
Catching, Hitting – PBP MT. AIRYBiography
Mt. Airy, MD native Jacob Ference to the Mount Airy staff. Jacob joins us as a premier catching and hitting instructor, and will train alongside our performance team with the goal of becoming our Head Strength & Conditioning Coach in Mt. Airy.
Collegiate Career & Record-Breaking Performance
Salisbury University (D‑III) 2020-2023
- Finished his Salisbury career with a .318 batting average, 99 hits, 87 RBI, and 20 home runs across 101 games—landing him tied for ninth all-time in SU home runs
- In 2023, he broke a 25-year-old program single-season home run record with 14 homers, slashing .364/.460/.773—good for 13th in HR/game nationally and 31st in slugging
- Named First-Team All-C2C and earned C2C Player of the Week, hitting three multi-homer games, launching homers in his first two pitches of Opening Day—and powering a three-game homer streak
University of Virginia (D‑I) 2024-2025
Set a UVA single-game record with three doubles in the Feb 28, 2024 win over VMI and finished the day 5-for-6 with five RBI
2024 season: Became a standout catcher, starting 53 games and batting .350/.465/.710 with 17 home runs, 70 hits, 43 RBI, 12 stolen bases, reaching base in 51 of 53 starts, and ranking 7th in slugging and 8th in OBP in the ACC.
Named Second-Team All-ACC, an NCBWA Second-Team All-American, and ABCA All-Region, he led UVA to the College World Series, including a clutch two-run triple in the Super Regional to seal their spot in Omaha.
Jacob’s journey from D‑III standout to elite D‑I performer gives him firsthand insight into elite development, physical conditioning, and the mental grind of excelling at every level.
“We’re beyond excited to welcome Jacob to the Pease Baseball Professionals family, his track record—from setting records in Salisbury to earning All‑ACC and All‑America honors at UVA—is a testament to his dedication and skill. Jacob brings elite-level strength, advanced hitting, and defensive expertise to our Mount Airy location. We know he’s going to elevate both our individual instruction and our future conditioning program.”
Dustin Pease – Founder Pease Baseball Professionals
Role at Pease Baseball Professionals
- Catching & Hitting Instruction: Private lessons tailored to mechanics, pitch recognition, and plate discipline—rooted in Jacob’s collegiate success.
- Strength & Conditioning: Transitioning into a leadership role, he’ll build and implement athlete-specific training protocols that we’ve customized in our Frederick location, at our Mount Airy facility. Premier performance coach Colby Maun, overseeing that development.
Jacob is now accepting private students in catching, hitting, and strength training. Interested athletes are encouraged to book a session to start working with one of the region’s most dynamic, performance-focused coaches.
