Pregame Routine Of A Professional Pitcher

-Assuming a 6pm start time, arrive at the field at 4:45. At 5:00 head out to the outfield to stretch  

Lower body Routine: 10 mins

 

1. Jog from foul pole to foul pole
2. 15 yard sets of the following: high knees, butt kicks, side shuffles, karaoke, skips for height, Frankenstein kicks, forward lunges, and side lunges
3. 5, 90 feet sprints. Build up intensity with each sprint.

 

Upper body: 10 mins

 

1. Jaeger band stretching
2. Spine twists and lower back stretches (Cobra Stretch)
3. Flat back arm swings (Bend over so back is parallel with ground and swing arms up and down so fingertips touch the turf)
4.  Huggers (Stand up straight and swing arms around your body in a hugging motion)

 

Throwing: 15 mins

 

1. 10 throws from 30 feet nice and loose. See the ball spin out of the hand. Looking for perfect back spin. No cut spin.
2. 10 throws from 60 feet in the rock-forward-rock-back stance (Spread legs father than shoulder width, rock into front leg, rock into back leg, then push off loaded back leg and throw to your target)
3. 10 throws from 90 with the step behind stance. Good Rhythm. Be athletic. Bouncing around.
4. 10 throws from 120. Long toss throws with crow-hop. Start with an arc on the throws and with each throw we get the angle lower and lower with the last throw being a straight line.
5. Bring it into 60 feet again for the final 10 throws. 3 FBs, 3 change ups, 3 curveballs, 1 FB. (Throw all your pitches before you enter the bullpen, feel what is working and what is not)
6. Final step is practice 2 throws to each base. So your throwing partner is going to be your base. Angle your body so that you pretend to field a ground ball and then throw to your partner as if he is the first baseman, second baseman, third baseman and catcher. If you plan on picking off also practice two pickoff throws to each relevant base. We do not want our first throws to a base to be in the game.

 

Bullpen: 25 pitches. To be thrown 15-20 mins before the game starts

 

1. (For ages 14 and up) Start by throwing a weighted baseball (7-10 ounces) to your catcher from 30 feet. 5-10 times. Work on hitting catcher in the chest and making the arm move quickly

 

1. Windup: 10-15 Pitches

 

1. Stretch: 10-15 Pitches

  -Note: Sequence for both windup and stretch is 3 Fastballs, 2 Changeups, 2 Curveballs, 3 Fastballs.   -Note: Execute each pitch. If you don’t like it, throw the pitch again until you feel comfortable with it.  

1. Final 5 pitches are designated for a simulated batter. Have the catcher call pitches and you execute pitches. (Practice like this is the first batter of the game)

 

1. Last throw: Always end on a Fastball. Simulate the first pitch of the game.

  -Leave yourself 5 mins between bullpen and game to rest and lock in mentally.   -Velocity comes from the legs not the arm. A strong front side and a powerful back leg will keep the ball down in the zone. Never think about your throwing arm. Keep it loose and relaxed.   This blog was written by current Professional Pitcher Mike Castellani. Mike excelled in the classroom and on the field at Bucknell University where he was their Ace. The left-hander then went on to pitch in the Frontier League where he is the Ace of his staff. Mike has written for American Baseball Camps in the past and is the author of our Pitching Video Evaluations. He also is a contributing author in our book: At Home Baseball Development Program