A Four-Step Guide to Learning “How to Pitch”

In my blog “The Art of Pitching,” I observed how the art of pitching has been disregarded with the rise in the culture of velocity. Throwing hard is not the end all be all. It reigns true time and again that pitchers who pitch win more than throwers. 

Pitching is a nuanced skill that goes beyond pure strength and velocity. It involves strategy requiring pitchers to learn how to execute their skills within the context of a game. Keeping hitters off balance, picking up the batter’s tendencies, and understanding the situation of the game are all skills that come with learning how to pitch. Here are four crucial steps that can help teach pitchers how to elevate their ability to execute.

1. Assessing the pitcher’s arsenal

Before stepping on the mound, it’s essential for a pitcher to assess their own arsenal of pitches. This involves understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each pitch in their repertoire. Start with the pitcher’s raw stuff: pitch types, velocities, movements, spin rates, and location in the zone. Rapsodo or other technologies are great evaluative tools, as younger pitchers often have misconceptions about the true spin or movement of their pitches. 

Evaluating the pitcher themselves is also important in understanding their arsenal. What is their A, B and C pitch? How confident are they throwing inside? What is their best off-speed pitch? A thorough assessment allows pitchers to play to their strengths and identify areas to improve, to help bolster their pitch arsenal.

2. Sequencing their pitches

Pitching is not just about individual pitches, it’s about the art of sequencing. The basics of sequencing is keeping hitters off balance through a combination of different pitch types, locations and speeds. The goal with each pitch is to make it more challenging for the hitter to anticipate the pitcher’s next move. 

This can be trained in bullpens by practicing different pitch combinations that would be commonly sequenced in games. Practice executing to both sides of the plate, throwing a fastball off of an off-speed pitch, or differentiating a two strike and a no strike off speed pitch. Incorporate pitch tunneling, where multiple pitches look similar initially but break in different directions late, making it harder for the hitter to anticipate. 

3. Start introducing pitching in different counts

Once the pitcher has understood the basics of sequencing their pitches, it’s time to implement additional context that makes the execution more game-like. Adapting a pitcher’s strategy to different counts is crucial for success on the mound. In advantage counts, we want to work on attacking more aggressively to get the strikeout. In hitter’s counts, we want to focus on locating pitches in the zone to avoid free bases. 

With the additional context, pre-set count bullpens are a great way to work on executing pitches that a pitcher might not be comfortable with. In advantage counts, focus on throwing a competitive elevated fastball or off-speed pitch in the dirt. Hitter’s counts are almost always an automatic fastball in high school, so work on building confidence in throwing an off-speed pitch or changeup for a strike. Learning to navigate different counts effectively adds a layer of sophistication to a pitcher’s game.

4. Test with simulated batters or live ABs

The final step is the practical application: testing the skills developed against simulated batters or live at-bats provides important feedback. The pitcher can gauge their progress, make real-time adjustments and build confidence in their ability to execute pitches in competition.  

Learning how to perform after failures and mistakes is the biggest test with live at-bats. Can they make adjustments off of a poorly executed pitch, reset their mind and execute the next pitch? Overall, this step bridges the gap between practice and game situations, preparing pitchers for the dynamic challenges they will face on the field.

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Being a legitimate pitcher goes far beyond having the raw skills. It requires a strategic approach and understanding how to maximize your strengths. Implementing these steps in your off-season and in-season bullpens will help refine your craft and elevate your performance on the mound.