Shea Langeliers broke out in a big way during the 2021 season. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2019 Draft led the Mississippi Braves to a Double-A South championship by slugging 22 home runs with an .833 OPS and tossing out 31 would-be base stealers. The former Baylor standout is set to take the reins behind the plate for Atlanta in the near future.

Jonathan Mayo: After the year you had last year, how much time did you take outside to rest and get back to work here?

Shea Langeliers: I’m very excited to get back and get going again. Definitely hit that point this year and super excited to be here and having a lot of fun so far.

• Braves Spring Training report

Mayo: You had sort of an exciting but a little bit of a surreal end of your year. I was hoping to see you in the Fall League. What was that whole experience like because you got to see it firsthand, but you didn’t play. Explain what that whole process was like for you?

Langeliers: It was super cool, a super awesome experience just getting to be around those guys. How they take care of themselves, how they go about their game days, all the game planning before the game, just kind of get to experience that and watch.

Mayo: Did you get to celebrate? Did you dog pile? Did you not know how to behave when they won the whole thing?

Langeliers: A little bit. I didn’t know what to do because I was just sitting there watching them win a World Series, and it was amazing and I’m super excited. They worked their tails off the whole year to get to that point, so a little bit of not knowing what to do.

Mayo: How much did it mean to you that the organization clearly had faith in your abilities behind the plate in that you were the guy? Catchers get hurt all the time and if something had happened, you could’ve been catching in the NLCS or the World Series.

Langeliers: It's pretty cool, but you know I try not to look at it like that, just approach every day the same, try to get better. There's always more stuff you can do, there's always a way you can get better whether it be physical or mental.

Mayo: When you broke your hamate, did you have a moment of, “oh man, the timing of this?” I know you want to be there for your team trying to win but you must’ve had the Draft in the back of your head at least.

Langeliers: Maybe a little bit at the time when I broke my hamate, but the biggest concern was getting back to the field. My junior year we were set up to have a pretty good team and being off the field, it was tough.

Mayo: One of the things – in talking to the Braves – that sold them on you was how quickly you got back. Forget about how you were swinging the bat, but you got back in a hurry. Where did that mental toughness come from?

Langeliers: I was so wanting to get back on the field and I was joking around with some people saying, “I’m sure it’ll heal quick, I'll get over this quick.” I feel like having that sort of mentality helps you get out there a little bit quicker and even heal a little bit faster.

Mayo: I would imagine after going through that, aches and pains you are going to have as a catcher naturally you're going to be like, “Alright, I came back from a hamate injury in a couple of weeks. This is nothing.”

Langeliers: The pain wasn’t completely away when I first came back but you’re right. The aches and pains from catching, I feel like I’m not really too concerned about that anymore.

Mayo: Your reputation as a defender kind of precedes you. You've maintained it. Where did your love of the craft of catching come from? When did it start for you?

Langeliers: Late high school, towards junior year, senior year. I started getting catching lessons from Caleb Parker, who was also a catcher at Keller High School and then went to the University of Tennessee. Working with him is when it started clicking that this is what I want to do, this is who I want to be. Your craft will change here and there but it’s just that mentality of this is who I am.

Mayo: As a guy who’s such a good receiver, part of that is framing. What are your thoughts on the whole automatic balls and strikes system?

Langeliers: I’m going to keep getting better at receiving in any way possible. I don’t want to say steal strikes, but just keeping strikes strikes and keeping the ball in front of you, that type of deal.

Mayo: Would you be a little disappointed if they did that?

Langeliers: I mean yeah, I think so. It takes a little bit of the craftsmanship out of catching. There’s a lot of good receivers at the Major League level, Minor League level. It kind of takes a little something away from that.

Mayo: I know people want to talk to you about your defense all the time, but you had a good offensive year too. The power really showed up. Were you even surprised at how much in-game power actually came from you?

Langeliers: Maybe a little bit but it's more I think the power starts to show up when you're locked in on your approach. It's a pitcher-to-pitcher thing really, whether he's got a vertical right fastball or he throws a sinker, you just kind of stick with your approach and get a pitch you really want to hit. When you swing at it hopefully good things will happen.

Mayo: I was in Orioles camp yesterday talking to Adley Rutschman. I think that you guys are going to be connected. It’s not too often that two college catchers go in the top ten. Do you – not compare -- but do you keep tabs on each other and talk about the craft and things like that?

Langeliers: Yeah, we have. Especially in college, we got to play together in 2018 that summer, so we got to know each other a little bit, stay in touch here and there. Obviously Adley’s a generational talent, he’s a super hard working, great guy.

Mayo: What's the best comp you've ever heard for yourself? One that you're like, “Wow, if I could be that guy, great and yeah, that's going to make sense.”

Langeliers: I kind of want to be my own player. Like you said, it’s kind of a disservice to us and a disservice to the guys in the big leagues. I don’t know if that’s my player comp but I just loved watching Buster Posey when he was coming up. He’s a great defensive catcher, can really swing the bat. That’s kind of pushed me to start loving catching.