He’s been playing with a decent 8U select team (no tryouts, just poached from local Little League friends), but now is when I am starting to really hone in on mechanics. We’ve gotten hitting taken care of and he can blaze the ball, around the horn, but we need some pitching help.
I can see he stands too tall at finish. I know he’s not driving too good off his back leg, etc. but he throws strikes and throws hard for his age. It’s hard to mess with him and then see his accuracy change, but I don’t want him going in to his first kid pitch season, ingraining bad habits, either.
What is the number one priority to work on? Any other tips or advice?
This is a wonderful source and I hope to use it/buy long term, as we move forward with the progression. Thanks!
Also, the only two pitches he knows and that I plan on teaching him for a while: two seam FB ( I think it’s easier to throw and a little movement) and the three finger change.
Hi, The following is a framework that I have used with young pitchers. Keep in mind these are pitching movements that I would work on with a very young pitcher. And for our purposes, I would classify your son as a very young pitcher. The purpose here is to build quality movements.
The following is a simple mechanical progression, and this is the process I would follow when working with young pitchers. Keep in mind that you don’t need to work on all of these things right off the bat. You might spend the majority of the first lesson working on Glove-Arm, Throwing-Arm Connection. The next session you’d reinforce that early on, then spend more time working on Getting Over and Around the Front Leg… These drills are all dry drills. No throwing involved
Step One: The Glove-Arm, Throwing-Arm Connection Drills
Step Two: Getting Over & Around the Front Leg Drills
Step Three: The Load & Early Weight-Shift Drills
After you’ve worked together to help him build good movements in his delivery, the next step is putting it all together. First full pitching motion dry work without a ball. Once he has that down move to some flatground work and catch him.
Most important thing for you to do is keep it fun for him.
Steve C