Collins shows big improvement behind plate for White Sox

Carlos Rodon had something to prove Wednesday night - to himself, the White Sox and the outside crowd who thought he was a bust pick at No. 3 overall in the 2014 draft.

The injury-prone lefty did just that, pitching a no-hitter against the Indians and literally missing a perfect game by a foot - which is where he hit Roberto Perez with one out in the ninth inning.

Zack Collins also had something to prove, and he did so as well while catching Rodon's masterpiece.

Another high draft pick, Collins has been widely viewed as a designated hitter at best after the Sox selected him No. 10 overall in 2016.

"There's a ton of people who have said I would never catch in a big-league game," Collins said.

He first got a chance to catch for the White Sox in 2019, and Collins did not look comfortable behind the plate. In 10 games, Sox pitchers had a 6.04 ERA and base stealers were a perfect 8-for-8.

Last year, Collins got only 1 start at catcher in the shortened season, but he reported to training camp this spring more determined than ever to win the job backing up Yasmani Grandal.

James McCann jumped to the Mets as a free agent over the winter on a four-year, $40.6 million contract, creating an opening.

It looked like Jonathan Lucroy was the more reliable choice at catcher, but the veteran was released late in camp and Collins and Yermin Mercedes both made the roster.

Mercedes has been an instant sensation, and he's locked himself in as the White Sox's designated hitter.

Collins has gotten off to a much slower start with the bat, but he figures to settle in as a hitter once he gets his defensive game in order.

Taking a big step on that front Wednesday, Collins was on top of everything while catching Rodon's no-hitter. That should do wonders for his overall game.

"I played against Zack in college for a year or two," said Rodon, recalling the days when he was at North Carolina State and Collins was at Miami, Fla. "It's nice to have him on my team because he was quite the hitter at the University of Miami. And I think that's the first time he's caught me in a regular-season game. It was obviously a special moment.

"We were on the same page. I don't think I shook at all. Whatever he put down, I was throwing. And you can tell, he's vastly improved defensively catching. He's always been able to hit, always. But his blocking and his pitch-framing, they've grown quite a bit."

Collins' hearing is quite good, but he muffled all of the critics who dismissed his ability to catch and call a game. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder kept after it and he's seeing the results.

"Just the work that I put in the last couple of years, the last six, seven years," Collins said. "And then learning from guys, I can't give enough credit to McCann, Yas and these guys who have helped me through this. I feel extremely good behind the plate right now."

Changing up his stance, Collins catches with one knee on the dirt.

"It's been on and off for about a year now, a year and a half," he said. "Before this year I kind of went fully to it in the off-season, felt extremely comfortable there receiving, blocking and throwing. What I did through spring training was just kind of gain confidence in that position with runners on base, with big situations, man on third, stuff like that, being able to block balls in the dirt.

"That was the big question for me, whether or not I could do it in a game and every game that I caught in spring training I felt super comfortable. Maybe from the outside looking in, it might look a little weird because everyone's used to the traditional no knee down catcher stance and stuff like that. But a lot of guys are going to it. A lot of guys feel comfortable. It just really matters how someone's body moves. I feel super comfortable where I'm at."

So do the White Sox.

"Just watching for the first time, before he came to camp, I saw him in January and he was very serious about catching guys there (at Camelback Ranch in Arizona) rehabbing or whatever," manager Tony La Russa said. "He was working with Yas in the cage, in January and February. This was the first camp that he probably believed he could earn his way on the club and he did it with his bat and with his glove and with his thinking. He's very impressive, took all the information he gets and works the game-plan."