With runners on first and third and two outs in the late innings, Palomar catcher Carter Jorissen crouches behind the plate, eyes locked on the runner at first. Anticipation hangs thick in the air. As the pitcher comes set and delivers, the runner breaks for second. In a flash, Jorissen springs into action, receiving the pitch and firing a perfect throw to second base. The tag is applied… out. The threat is over, and Jorissen’s quick reflexes and precision have again saved the inning.
Jorissen started playing baseball at the age of three, playing in his local recreational league, and he hasn’t stopped playing ever since. His favorite memory as a kid playing was when he was around nine, winning the Tournament of Champions, where the top teams play each other in South Orange County.
Jorissen is ranked No. 4 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference and has a batting average of .384 and an on-base percentage of .500 with only nine strikeouts, the fewest in the PCAC. Jorissen received PCAC All-Conference honors this season.
“I hate striking out so much that I don’t wait till two strikes a lot. I like to say I’m a free swinger,” Jorissen said.
Jorissen has hit in 44 games in the 2025 season. Totaling 63 times in this overall season.
“I’ve never been the guy that hits bombs every game, I just produce and get on base for my team… I have faith in the guys behind me to bring me in and get me over [home plate],” Jorissen said.
Jorissen has constantly been No. 3 on the Comets batting line up. The sophomore catcher has made sure his presence has played a crucial role in the line up.
“Offensively, he’s really important as far as being a presence in the lineup. I think other teams have to worry about or at least concern themselves with it, sort of takes some of the pressure off some of the guys around the lineup,” head coach Ben Adams said.
Offensively is not only where Jorissen has excelled, but also in leadership. As a catcher, Jorissen has to build a strong relationship with all of the pitchers.
“As a pitcher throwing your pitches, to have confidence that one he’s going to catch it, two he’s going to block him, and basically just really worried about trying to make the best pitch,” Adams said.
Brandon Bollerer shared his relationship with Jorissen and how it has improved from last season to this season.
“The relationship between a pitcher and catcher is pretty close; he’s almost your best friend on the field… I think last year we weren’t as close, I would talk to him here and there, but this summer brought us super close, we became basically best friends over the summer, and then came back here [Palomar] and I’ve had a lot of trust in him,” Bollerer said.
Bollerer said that a good relationship between a catcher and pitcher is not only between the two of them; Jorissen also has to bridge the gap between the pitcher and the rest of the team on the field. If the pitcher and catcher aren’t completely on the same page, it can create a bridge in the relationship between the pitcher and the rest of the team on the field.
“I’m less of a vocal leader and more of a captain because I am the catcher, I work with the position players and with the pitchers all the time. I feel like I kind of bridge the gap between that role,” Jorissen said.
Carter Jorrissen, Sophomore, is committed to transferring to play baseball for CSU Bakersfield.
“I made a really good connection with their recruiting coordinator and catching coach. I also really like the way their head coach goes about just how they play the game and his philosophies,” Jorissen said.
Jorissen also had a lot of insight when it came to Bakersfield. The pitching coach Hayden Carter played at Bakersfield for all four years, and the catching coach coached there last season.
“The catcher has the best perspective of the field when it comes to every defensive situation where the ball is, where the runner is, just sort of being able to watch and see some go timing as far as what happens and where it happens,” Adams said.
