Atrapar vs. coger vs. agarrar
When translating the concept of catching an object in flight into Spanish, you will primarily use the verbs atrapar, coger, and agarrar. The correct choice depends on geographic location and the specific nuance of the action, such as the effort involved in the interception or the firmness of the physical grip.
Atrapar
The verb atrapar is universally understood across all Spanish-speaking regions and emphasizes the dynamic action of intercepting, trapping, or stopping a fast-moving object while it is still in the air.
El jugador logró atrapar la pelota de béisbol antes de que tocara el suelo.
(The player managed to catch the baseball before it touched the ground.)
Intenta atrapar las llaves que te voy a lanzar desde el balcón.
(Try to catch the keys that I am going to throw to you from the balcony.)
El portero saltó con mucha agilidad para atrapar el balón.
(The goalkeeper jumped very agilely to catch the ball.)
Mi perro está entrenado para atrapar el disco volador en el parque.
(My dog is trained to catch the frisbee in the park.)
Coger
The word coger is standard and widely used in Spain to mean receiving or catching a thrown object, but it should be avoided in Latin America where it carries a highly vulgar slang meaning.
Ponte los guantes para coger la pelota con mayor facilidad.
(Put on the gloves to catch the ball more easily.)
No pude coger el cojín que me tiraste y se cayó al suelo.
(I could not catch the cushion you threw at me and it fell to the floor.)
Tienes que coger el ramo de flores cuando la novia lo lance hacia atrás.
(You have to catch the bouquet of flowers when the bride throws it backward.)
Voy a tirar la moneda al aire y tú tienes que cogerla.
(I am going to throw the coin in the air and you have to catch it.)
Agarrar
The verb agarrar focuses on the physical action of grasping tightly or taking firm hold of the flying object with your hands, and it is the preferred, safe equivalent to coger used throughout Latin America.
Lánzame la manzana con cuidado para que la pueda agarrar.
(Throw the apple to me carefully so that I can catch it.)
El niño estiró los brazos para agarrar el globo que bajaba del techo.
(The boy stretched his arms to catch the balloon coming down from the ceiling.)
Prepárate para agarrar la caja cuando te la pase por encima del muro.
(Get ready to catch the box when I pass it to you over the wall.)
Pude agarrar el vaso en el aire antes de que chocara contra el suelo.
(I was able to catch the glass in the air before it crashed against the floor.)
Summary
In short, atrapar is your safest and most accurate universal choice for emphasizing the interception of an object in flight. The word coger is commonly used for this exact same action in Spain, whereas agarrar is the standard equivalent in Latin America that avoids vulgarity while focusing on the firm physical grasp of the incoming object.