Brian Schneider

2.1. High School Baseball

Schneider's athletic talents were evident during his high school years at Northampton Area High School in Northampton, Pennsylvania. He excelled in both baseball and basketball, competing in the state's highly competitive Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. His outstanding performance in baseball earned him the "Player of the Year" title in the Lehigh Valley in both 1994 and 1995. During his high school career, Schneider achieved an impressive .427 batting average, accumulating 22 doubles and 11 home runs. He also set a Northampton High School record with 91 runs batted in. As a senior, he maintained a remarkable .484 batting average. In 1995, Schneider signed a letter of intent to play college baseball at Central Florida.

3.1. Minor Leagues

Schneider was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 5th round, 143rd overall, of the 1995 June draft. By 1997, while playing for the Single-A Cape Fear Crocs in the South Atlantic League, Schneider began to distinguish himself. He emerged as a premiere defensive player, while also demonstrating solid offensive numbers, which earned him a spot on the mid-season All-Star team.

3.2. Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals

Schneider made a strong impression during the Expos' spring training in 2000, leading to his call-up to the major leagues following an injury to the regular catcher, Chris Widger. He made his MLB debut on May 26, 2000, as a defensive replacement in the 9th inning against the San Diego Padres at Qualcomm Stadium, going 0-for-1. The very next day, he made his first big league start, recording his first major league hit with a double, going 2-for-3.

In the 2001 season, Schneider divided his time between the majors and minors, capitalizing on his opportunities with the Expos by compiling a .317 batting average in 27 games, with 6 RBIs and 4 runs. On September 22, 2001, he hit his first career home run off Scott Elarton, contributing to a 3-1 Expos victory over the Colorado Rockies. For the 2002 season, Schneider primarily served as the backup catcher to Michael Barrett. He also made his outfield debut on June 4, 2002, playing left field against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 73 games that year, he hit .275, with 5 home runs, 29 RBIs, and 19 doubles. On September 24, 2002, he was honored as the Expos' nominee for Major League Baseball's inaugural Roberto Clemente Award, an award recognizing community involvement and sportsmanship.

In 2003, his fourth season with the Expos, Schneider secured the role of starting catcher after Michael Barrett's injury and subsequent trade to the Chicago Cubs. He caught the majority of the team's games, spending a total of 841 innings behind the plate. He ranked fifth in the league in fielding percentage with .996, committing only three errors in 709 total chances. At the plate, Schneider set new career highs across various offensive categories, including 77 hits, 26 doubles, 9 home runs, 46 RBIs, 132 total bases, and 37 walks. The Expos' pitching staff notably recorded a league-leading 89 quality starts under Schneider's guidance in 2003, underscoring his impact on pitching performance.

The 2004 season further showcased Schneider's offensive improvements, as he posted career highs with 112 hits, 12 home runs, and 49 RBIs. For the second consecutive season, he led major league catchers in throwing out base-stealers, achieving an impressive 47.8 percent success rate. Schneider concluded the season with a .998 fielding percentage, establishing a new franchise single-season record for a catcher in that category. His catcher's ERA in 2004 was 3.86, significantly better than the 5.89 of his backup, Einar Díaz, and he committed a league-low two errors among major league catchers.

In 2005, the Expos franchise relocated to Washington, D.C. and was rebranded as the Washington Nationals. Schneider holds the distinction of being the first catcher in Washington Nationals history. That same year, he led MLB again by throwing out 38 percent of potential base-stealers. Between 2003 and 2005, Schneider's 43.5 percent success rate in throwing out base-stealers was the best ratio in all of baseball.

Schneider was a member of the United States national baseball team at the 2006 World Baseball Classic, where he shared catching duties with Jason Varitek and former Expos teammate Michael Barrett. Although he went 0-for-6 in the tournament, he started the USA team's opening game against Mexico. Following the WBC, Schneider also participated in the 2006 Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series as a member of the MLB selected team.

Offensively, Schneider faced challenges during the first half of the 2006 season, hitting just .223 through August 4. However, his form improved significantly thereafter, as he batted .324 with 9 doubles, 1 home run, and 21 RBIs in the subsequent 42 games. Despite his strong finish, for the first time since 2002, Schneider did not lead either MLB or the National League in the percentage of base-stealers thrown out, recording 27%. On August 7, 2007, Schneider was behind the plate, catching Mike Bacsik, when Barry Bonds hit his MLB record-breaking 756th career home run.

3.3. New York Mets

On November 30, 2007, the Nationals traded Schneider and Ryan Church to the New York Mets in exchange for top prospect Lastings Milledge. He was expected to fill the role of starting catcher, replacing Paul Lo Duca who had departed the Mets. In his first season with New York in 2008, Schneider hit .257, with 9 home runs and 38 RBIs, in 110 games. On April 13, 2009, Schneider scored the first-ever Mets run at their new ballpark, Citi Field, crossing the plate on a double hit by Luis Castillo. However, his 2009 season was limited to just 59 games due to injury. Following the season, he became a free agent.

3.4. Philadelphia Phillies

On December 1, 2009, Schneider signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. During his tenure with the Phillies, he primarily served as the team's backup catcher behind Carlos Ruiz. On July 8, 2010, Schneider hit a walk-off home run, securing a 4-3 victory for the Phillies over the Cincinnati Reds. After the completion of his initial contract, he re-signed with the Phillies for one more season prior to the 2012 season.

3.5. Retirement from Playing

After a 13-year career in Major League Baseball, Brian Schneider officially announced his retirement from playing on January 29, 2013, following the conclusion of the 2012 season.

4.1. Defensive Abilities

Schneider's defensive skills as a catcher were highly praised throughout his career. He was known for his strong arm and his ability to neutralize opposing team's running games. He consistently led major league catchers in throwing out base-stealers, with success rates of 46.7% in 2003, 47.8% in 2004, and 37.7% in 2005. His overall percentage of base-stealers thrown out between 2003 and 2005 was 43.5%, the best in baseball during that period. In 2003, the Montreal Expos' pitching staff achieved a major league-leading 89 quality starts under Schneider's direction, highlighting his effectiveness in guiding pitchers. He maintained a .996 fielding percentage in 2003, committing only three errors in 709 total chances, and set a franchise single-season record for a catcher with a .998 fielding percentage in 2004. In the 2004 season, he also recorded the fewest errors among all major league catchers, with only two. His catcher's ERA in 2004 stood at 3.86, significantly lower than his backup's.

4.2. Offensive Abilities and Positions

While primarily known for his defense, Schneider's offensive contributions were generally characterized by a batting average that was not exceptionally high and power that was slightly below average for a catcher. Although predominantly a catcher, Schneider occasionally played other positions on the field. He made his outfield debut on June 4, 2002, playing left field, and also had experience playing first base.

6.1. Family and Private Life

On November 6, 2004, Brian Schneider married Jordan Sproat. The couple has four children: daughters Tatum (born 2007) and Haven (born 2012), and sons Calin (born 2009) and Holden (born 2010). The family currently resides in Jupiter, Florida, along with their dog, Rookie.

6.2. Catching For Kids Foundation

In 2008, Brian Schneider established the Catching For Kids Foundation. This charitable organization aims to support children and their participation in sports by providing funding and developing creative programming. The foundation is dedicated to enabling children of all backgrounds and physical abilities to enjoy and engage in the games they love.

6.3. Media and Other Activities

In 2015, Schneider participated in a unique job-swap documentary for Irish television titled 'The Toughest Trade'. As part of the documentary, he moved to Kilkenny in Ireland to train and play hurling as a goalkeeper for the James Stephens GAA club. In return, Irish hurler Jackie Tyrrell trained with the Florida-based Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball. This experience highlighted Schneider's versatility and willingness to engage with other sports cultures.

7.1. Major League Batting Statistics

• MON (Montreal Expos) changed team name to WSH (Washington Nationals) in 2005.

7.2. Jersey Numbers

Brian Schneider wore several jersey numbers throughout his playing and coaching careers:

• 39 (2000-2003)
• 23 (2004-2012; 2016-2019)
• 22 (2021-2022)