'He's a rock': Silas Ardoin plays factor in all three phases for Texas as catcher, a position in his blood

OMAHA, Neb. — The modern catcher has a lot of responsibilities. They require an understanding of the intricacies of pitching and how to attack the opposing bats. They have to be the backstop behind the plate that prevents runners from advancing. Of course, they have to hit the ball, too.

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In short, they have a tremendous effect on the day-to-day fortunes of a team. Texas’ Silas Ardoin exemplifies that. He has started at catcher in 66-of-67 games for the Longhorns. The one he didn’t start? He entered as a late substitute and caught a few innings.

“He’s just been rock-solid,” Texas head coach David Pierce said Thursday. “He’s durable. He comes from a catching family, his dad caught in the big leagues and he came out of the womb set up to be that guy.”

Ardoin, a product of Sam Houston High School in Moss Bluff, La. and son of former MLB catcher Danny Ardoin, has been an integral part of the Longhorns’ successes in 2022. He was named the All-Big 12 first team catcher in 2022 after hitting .276 with 12 homers and 50 RBI. He was a key part of a prolific offense which helped Texas make it to the College World Series in back-to-back years.

“We know that we have a good offense and that we can really hit and produce runs in multiple ways, whether it’s bunting people over, hitting singles or doubles or homers, it doesn’t really matter,” Ardoin said Thursday. “Coming here, we’re prepared.”

Ardoin threw out 21 of the 29 runners who attempted to steal a base against him and fielded at a strong .991 clip during the 2022 season. His defensive exploits are impressive, but his work with the pitching staff may be what endears him the most to his teammates and coaches.

“We just really trust that he knows how to work with each guy and get the max from them,” Pierce said. “One guy you’ve got to joke with him on the mound, the other you have to kick him in the tail. Understanding the staff and knowing how to get the max out of them, Silas does an excellent job with that. He’s a rock. He’s the foundation of that entire group.”

A member of the Texas pitching staff agrees. Lucas Gordon, who was thrust into a weekend starter role during the early portions of the season, relied on the help Ardoin provided both on and off-the-field.

“He keeps me locked in pre and during games,” Gordon said Thursday. “To have someone like that — he knows me almost better than myself and my mannerisms, and he can get me locked back in whenever I need to. That’s a big piece of every outing.”

Ardoin has developed into one of the top catching prospects in college baseball this season, but that wasn’t the position he grew up playing despite his lineage. In Omaha on Thursday, his father Danny Ardoin mentioned Silas began his career as a shortstop.

“I always knew he probably would have to catch one day because of his frame, but I wanted him to learn the game,” Danny said. “I wanted him to learn the game from the other side of the field first.”

Silas played in the middle infield until he was called into action behind the plate for a team he played on prior to his first year at Sam Houston. Once that move was made, his team improved and won. He received the ball well, made blocks, and helped the entire staff.

Then, he got to Sam Houston. His defense was so valuable, former Bronco head coach Ross Blankenship didn’t mind using the designated hitter on freshman Silas, who Danny described as “5-nothing, 100-nothing with catching gear floating on him.”

Silas eventually grew and developed into a college-level catcher and committed to Texas on August 17, 2018. After splitting time with DJ Petrinsky during his COVID-shortened 2020 freshman campaign, Ardoin took over as the full-time catcher during the Longhorns’ 2021 run to Omaha. He stayed in that role this year, playing in every game.

Texas is in the College World Series thanks to a bevy of contributions from Ardoin. For his father, it’s a summation of No. 4’s hard work.

“He had to really work to get himself where he is today,” Danny said. “To watch that hard work pay off, him develop physically into a young man, and there’s still some growth there for him, you’re starting to see his hard work pay off in dividends.”