In baseball, the pitcher-catcher relationship — the battery — is built on trust.

But for Major Ciers and Ty Chambless, it’s more than just game-time communication and pitch-calling. It’s a friendship forged through years of shared experiences, unshakable belief in one another, and a connection that started as kids and has only grown stronger through every pitch, every game, and even across the globe.

The two 2022 USA Baseball 12U National Team alumni have been throwing to one another for years. Through Futures events, national team call-ups, and their unforgettable time in Taiwan during their stint with 12U, they’ve done what most young athletes only dream of — growing up in the game together.

"It’s a special bond. Not many pitcher-catcher duos get to go to Taiwan and throw to each other,” explained Ciers. “It’s something unique that not everyone gets to experience, and it means a lot to both of us."

Chambless was quick to agree.

“Over the years, we’ve just gotten to know each other. I know his pitches, where they’re going to land. It makes the game so much easier for both of us. We trust each other a lot.”

Throwing to your best friend isn’t just comforting — it changes the way you play.

Ciers doesn’t hesitate when he’s on the mound, because he knows Chambless will handle anything he throws.

“He’s caught me forever,” Ciers said with a grin. “So there’s a whole bunch of trust. I can throw wherever I want — I know he’s gonna stop it, because he always does.”

Chambless feels that confidence from the other side of the battery, too — a quiet trust on the mound that allows him to settle in behind the plate, knowing his pitcher believes in his ability to handle every pitch and guide the game.

“I just know if he’s starting, I know we got a dog on the mound and we're gonna win, and I know I have full confidence in him every time he gets up there on the mound.”

That trust doesn’t waver — even when the game isn’t going their way. Baseball is a sport built on failure, where even the best fall short more often than not. But for Major and Ty, those tough moments don’t shake their bond. They’ve been through slumps, tough calls, and high-pressure innings, and they’ve learned to lean on each other through it all.

“When it gets tough, it’s mound visits,” Ciers said. “He’s good at calming me down. He’ll come out, give me positive affirmations, tell me to stay in the game, throw strikes, do what I do. It works.”

Chambless added, “It’s chemistry. I can just feel when he’s getting all out of whack, and I know how to settle him down. It’s instinct now.”

That instinct has come from hundreds of innings played together, and plenty of behind-the-scenes work that most fans never see. From pregame routines to in-game adjustments, everything is designed to bring out the best in each other.

“Before every game that he catches, I help him with catching drills,” said Ciers. “That’s just kind of our thing.”

“And during the game, I like to try to keep on my own pace, because over the years, I found out that he works better pitching when we're working faster,” Chambless added. “So I try to keep it going faster and not try to slow the game, slow the game down.

One of the defining chapters of their story came in 2022, when the duo represented Team USA on the 12U National Team in Taiwan. Competing on the international stage without their parents, the pair leaned on each other more than ever.

“It was unreal,” Ciers said. “Just being with a group of guys in another country, representing the U.S., and having Ty there — it was something I’ll never forget.”

Chambless agreed. “Going that far at that age without your parents, you have to stick together. And I had someone I could rely on.”

They weren’t just teammates — they were lifelines. And they still carry that pride today.

For all the success they’ve had on the field, their relationship goes well beyond wins and stats. They know how to lift each other, especially when things get hard.

“It’s just positive talk,” Chambless said. “We had two games the other day in the heat, and I just tried to keep him up, keep the energy going.”

“I always try to encourage him, too,” Ciers added. “If he starts getting down, I try to keep him up — keep him loud, keep him locked in.”

And as for the future?

“Well, obviously we want to make the 15U National Team next,” said Ciers. “After that, it’s just about continuing to develop as players and as humans. Keep climbing the ladder.”

“There’s always room for improvement,” Chambless added. “We want to make every national team we can — together — and just keep getting better.”

Their talent on the field is undeniable, but it’s their mutual respect, encouragement, and deep-rooted friendship that may be the most powerful force behind their rise.

As they grow — in age, skill, and maturity — one thing remains certain: their bond is unshakeable, and it’s only getting stronger.

“He’s a dog,” Chambless said proudly. “I can’t recall a play he’s just let go by. It’s like the duo from Taiwan, with all the noise from the stage — it’s unreal.”

“It’s just unreal. I mean, he’s a dog behind the plate — I can’t even think of a time he let a ball get by. Being in Taiwan together, with all that noise and pressure, just made our bond even stronger. Not a lot of people have something like that. He’s my guy.”

When Major’s on the mound, Chambless knows his guy’s got him, just like always. As they grow and continue on their baseball journeys, one thing is clear: the bond between Major and Ty isn’t going anywhere.

And with the way they’ve stuck by each other — through pressure, through travel, through growth—there’s no telling how far this duo can go.