A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Plum’s Carson Svidron

By: Abby King
Monday, June 5, 2023 | 11:09 AM

For as long as he can remember, Plum senior Carson Svidron has been a catcher.

“Honestly, I liked having as much gear as possible when I was younger because I thought it was fun to wear,” Svidron said. “Growing up, I kept getting better and better at it, and no one really wants to do it as we get older, but someone has to do it.”

Carson is the son of Marlow and Kevin Svidron. He’s been playing baseball for 13 years.

“I played sports like hockey, football and basketball,” Svidron said. “But with baseball, my friends were there and I was the best at it out of all the sports I tried.”

Svidron took some time out of his busy schedule to sit down and answer some questions for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

In the regular season, Plum went 12-7 overall, 9-3 in the section. What was the offseason preparation like for the team? It looks like it worked pretty well.

As soon as we got back from Christmas break, we really emphasized workouts. We were in the weight room a lot, hit the cages three or four times a week and were in the bullpens early in the morning. We really worked hard, and it paid off for us.

Plum shared the section title this year with Penn-Trafford and made it to the WPIAL semifinals. What do you think of those accomplishments?

Us being co-champions of our section was surreal for us. I know we won it our sophomore year, but this year, it was so different and made the season feel complete. As for us making it to the semifinals, we would’ve liked to go to the finals, but we had a slow start. Nonetheless, to go that far was great for us.

In the final game of the season, Plum had to beat Fox Chapel to be section co-champions. What was that game like?

It started slow for us, and they started hot. They had a huge lead in the beginning, but if there’s one thing that I know from coming back year after year, it’s that we fight until the last pitch. I was standing on deck when the walk-off hit was hit, and it was great to see.

What are the keys to being a good catcher?

It’s important to know your pitching staff and be on the same page. The physical stuff such as blocking and throwing are the easier things to work on, but knowing where pitchers want to throw, the counts they throw on and what they want to throw are the most important things. The hardest part is blocking as no one really wants to throw their body in front of a ball at you. But as you get more comfortable, it gets easier.

Catching also requires a strong arm. What, in your opinion, is the key to having a strong arm?

Lucky for me, I get to long toss with the pitchers every day and they have strong arms as well. I think constantly practicing your long toss, focusing on arm recovery and using weighted balls helps get a stronger arm.

What is the biggest worry when it comes to being behind the plate?

I’d say guys on third with wild pitches maybe getting lost.

You were named all-section honorable mention as a catcher this season. What was that like for you to be named that?

Undeniably, it was an honor. I would’ve liked to go higher on either first or second all-section teams, but it is still an honor to be one of the better catchers. It shows all the work I put in over the years.

What type of hitter do you consider yourself?

I’m not a home run hitter, but I can bunt well and move people around. I think I thrive on situational hitting.

The covid-19 pandemic abruptly ended all spring sports in 2020, and you lost your freshman year of baseball. How did the pandemic change things for you as an athlete?

It is the best thing that could’ve happened to me as an athlete. Freshman year, I was a bit smaller and started on JV. I wasn’t going to be behind the plate as I was playing first base. But over quarantine, I worked out and got bigger, and it really helped me in the long run.

What will you miss most about playing with Plum?

I think I’ll miss the guys and being with them every day. During the season, we’re with each other more than our families. I’ll really miss them.

What are your future plans?

I plan to attend Penn State Fayette to continue playing baseball and major in criminal justice.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to leave with your teammates?

Be a leader for the younger guys. It goes a long way, and those are the most memorable teammates.

Tags: Plum