Baseball: Catcher-turned-infielder still helping call the shots at Skyline
May 3—LONGMONT — With its star catcher having had thumb surgery on his glove hand over the winter, Skyline didn't want senior Emilio Gutierrez snaring pitches from behind the plate while still in recovery this spring.
The ensuing decision to move him to the middle of the infield appeared to be a major loss — in both for his expertise at calling games and working well with a pitching staff. That just hasn't been the case.
He's simply working from a different point of view now.
"He's valuable, especially as a pitcher," junior right-hander Jack Knapp said ahead of practice Friday afternoon. "It's valuable to know someone has your back. And even though he can't be behind the plate, he's making an impact with calling pitches and making an impact with how the game works. I've been very grateful for that."
Gutierrez, now the team's primary second baseman, has been everything the Falcons could ask for. Both as a player and leader. And especially on a team desperately trying to end a decade-long postseason drought.
As of now, the senior — who is also hitting a career-best .413 and reaching base in more than half of his at-bats in 2024 — has the Falcons (9-10) in position to make the Class 4A 32-team regional field. They're currently ranked 27th by CHSAA with only four games remaining.
Looking to snap a four-game slide, they start a two-game set against No. 51 Frederick on Saturday.
"I think it would be everything," Gutierrez said of reaching the playoffs. "Not only for this team specifically, but all the teams before who were right on the cusp but couldn't get there."
If there was any concern about Gutierrez's position flip this season, it was never about his fit as an infielder. He'd played in the field growing up and had taken plenty of reps out there since.
Coach Travis Schlagel said he knew Gutierrez would be valuable in shoring things up the middle of his infield.
"He's been huge out there," the ninth-year head coach said.
A bigger issue, seemingly, was what could be lost by not having him direct games from behind the plate. But that hasn't diminished, either.
Knapp — who transferred from Lyons a year ago and has since become the Falcons' ace, touting a 4-2 record with 4.17 ERA in 45 1/3 innings this spring — recalled a conversation he had with Gutierrez between frames last month.
With the junior trying to finish off a win against Northridge on April 5, they discussed Knapp's approach and how he should change it the second and third time through the lineup.
Worked? "Yeah, definitely," Knapp nodded.
Gutierrez's voice holds that kind of weight everywhere for Skyline.
"He knows what to do at any position," Schlagel said of Gutierrez, who was replaced at catcher by Brody Hufford this season. Oh, he helps him, too. "I'd be confident putting him on the mound, be confident putting him in the outfield. He just knows what he's doing."
After the spring season, Gutierrez is headed to Colorado Mesa University.
A Boettcher Scholarship semifinalist with a 4.429 GPA, his academics have been paid in full. He's still deciding if he'll try to walk on to the Mavericks' baseball team.
First things first, though.
"I'm in contact with the players I played with four years ago, three years ago, two years ago," Gutierrez said. Making the postseason for them and the Skyline community "would be a really good thing."
