Catcher Tyler Albright was named captain of the baseball team, the first junior in many years to hold the position. But with the honor comes added responsibility. Harvard coach Joe Walsh expects his standout to step up at the plate and continue his stellar work behind it, guiding the Crimson’s staff of young pitchers.

Tyler Albright may be the first junior captain of Harvard baseball that coach Joe Walsh can remember, but the long-time catcher is no stranger to being in charge on the baseball field. That role comes naturally with being behind the plate.

“I think he was born in catcher’s gear,” Walsh says.

Actually, Albright started playing catcher when he was eight, taking the position for the first time in a little league practice.

And from that moment on, he knew it was where he belonged.

“You’re involved in every play,” Albright explains. “You control the game. I like being thrown in the action.”

Action hasn’t been in short supply for the junior captain since he arrived at Harvard, as Albright has been the starting catcher since his freshman year.

“I said, ‘Tyler, have you ever called your own game?’” Walsh recalls. “He said, ‘no,’ and I said, ‘Well you’re going to call one here,’ and he smiled.”

Albright has been in charge ever since, adding All-Ivy honorable mention honors his sophomore year. The junior was recently named the top Ivy League catcher by College Baseball Insider.

“He’s got a hose behind the plate,” Walsh says. “When he goes to a game that starts at 3:00, I think there’s going to be a lot of people coming at 2:30 to see the infield practice to see him throw.”

Albright’s arm, combined with his stellar field vision, can be quite intimidating.

“A lot of teams just won’t run on us because of Tyler,” Walsh observes. “A lot of that doesn’t show up in the stats. His presence really gives us a force behind the plate.”

Walsh is hoping Albright will emerge at the plate this season as well. Albright’s offensive numbers have improved over his two years with the Crimson, and Walsh thinks this might be the year for the catcher to make a name for himself with the bat.

“We need a force in the middle of the lineup,” the coach says. “We hope that force comes from Tyler. I think he welcomes the challenge.”

But while Albright will look to add to his offensive presence, defense has been his bread and butter from an early age.

“Growing up I always emulated [Ivan] ‘Pudge’ [Rodgriguez],” the California native notes. “He called the game well, [and] that’s my best asset.”

And just like Rodriguez, Albright seems to emerge as the preferred catcher wherever he goes.

“He played in the Cape Cod league this summer,” junior outfielder Sam Franklin says. “From what I have heard, it is the top league in the country. All the top pitchers [there] wanted him catching and calling the games.”

“When Shawn Haviland [’08] was in [the Oakland Athletics organization], he told me that he still hasn’t had anyone catch him as well as Tyler,” Walsh adds.

Albright’s popularity behind the plate should provide some assurance for the Crimson’s young crop of pitchers, who will be expected to perform early in their careers.

“Basically, I have to acclimate them into college,” Albright says. “It’s a different transition, especially having such a young staff. Last year we threw two freshmen against the No. 1 team in the country, and it’s going to be the same this year. I kind of have to keep them comfortable on the mound, keep them motivated, keep them focused.”

“For them, there’s no better person than Tyler,” Franklin says.

Walsh will also hope that Albright’s dedication to the game will rub off on the underclassmen. The standout from Long Beach, Calif. grew up with an ever-present mitt on his hand.

“Being from a warm weather state, I played baseball pretty much year round—summer ball, winter ball,” he recalls.

His practice paid off at Woodrow Wilson High School, when his team was named the National Champion by Baseball America Magazine his senior year. Albright also garnered a number of individual accolades, being named the Defensive Player of the Year by his team that season, as well as earning the squad’s MVP honor as a sophomore and Most Improved his freshman year.

From a team perspective, Albright hasn’t been able to replicate his high school success at Harvard. The Crimson has posted a losing record in each of the past two seasons, but disappointing finishes have prompted the ballplayers to change their mentality.

“This year as a team we have a group of leaders,” he says. “Players step up and look after each other…It’s good this year. It’s different than years past.”

At the helm of the turnaround is Albright, whose tireless work ethic has earned him the respect of his coaches and teammates.

“You take a day like today when we had a three-hour practice,” Walsh says. “After practice it was like, ‘let’s go to the track.’ He has the ability to catch both ends of a double header. He has a lot of enthusiasm. He never gets lazy…It gets a little contagious.”

“He’s just a great guy,” Franklin adds. “Everyone wants to follow him…It’s a great strength being around him…he’s the man.”

—Staff writer Christina C. McClintock can be reached at ccmcclin@fas.harvard.edu.