How Short Pitchers Throw 90+ MPH
The average height and bodyweight of 90+ MPH arms in our database is 6 ft 1.5” and 205 LBS. So, how do pitchers who fall under the 6 ft mark throw 90+ MPH? Taller, lankier and heavier pitchers tend to have an advantage in the velocity department. That is why we love fuel chucking munchkins! In this article we will cover how short pitchers make up for their lack of height and body mass with elite acceleration, excellent movement/mobility and elite biomechanics.
Elite Acceleration
In my humble opinion, elite acceleration is the most important and most influenceable by training. I define acceleration as performance measurements like vertical jump, broad jump, lateral broad jump, 10 yd dash etc. It gives me an understanding of how an athlete creates power and moves his mass. Short pitchers need to excel in these measurements. All of these measurements give an idea of each athletes ability to generate and transmit muscular force to the ground. Simply put, the ability to overcome your bodyweight by quickly pushing force into the ground allows you to run faster, jump higher, throw harder and hit farther.
Case Study: Dom Spinoso 5’ 8” 168 LBS 91 MPH
His height is 5’8” which is in the 17th percentile of athletes in our database. His bodyweight is 168 LBS which is in the 25th percentile. The the key reasons Dom is able to throw 91 MPH, is his incredible ability to accelerate his body. His vertical jump (37”), broad jump(10’2”) and 10 yd sprint (1.51 sec) are all in the 99th percentile! His lateral broad jump is also in the 88th percentile. Combine this with his impressive mobility and it’s easy to see what makes Dom elite. What he lacks in leverage and mass, he more than makes up for in acceleration.
Excellent Movement And Mobility
Mobility allows you to orient your body in the best possible positions to maximize force production and reduce the risk of injury. The pitchers who utilize their kinetic chain the most efficiently tend to be great movers. Short pitchers who throw 90+ MPH usually test very well in our mobility assessment. This allows them to maximize their bodies in the key biomechanics principles of pitching like back leg load, back leg drive, hip to shoulder separation, front leg extension, forward trunk tilt etc.
Case Study: Anonymous MLB Pitcher
This pitcher throws 90-92 MPH. His height is 5’ 9” (19th percentile) and his bodyweight was 198 LBS (59th percentile) in our database. That is actually a very good bodyweight for his height. His performance measurements were very middling. Vertical jump 29” (74th percentile), broad jump 8’ 8” (74th percentile), and 10 yd dash 1.7 seconds (66th percentile). What made him elite was his mobility and motor control of his body. None of his mobility measurements tested below average and he had some elite qualities. Right and left hip abduction was 60 degrees (99th percentile), right and left hip flexion was 115 degrees (99th percentile), right and left hip extension 25 degrees (94th percentile), trunk extension was 50 degrees (95th percentile), and throwing shoulder external rotation 140 degrees (97th percentile). His impressive mobility allowed him to efficiently use his kinetic chain and put himself in advantageous biomechanics positions to maximize his slightly above average acceleration.
Elite Biomechanics
Like we briefly discussed above, short pitchers that throw 90+ MPH maximize their bodies by using the kinetic chain efficiently. Generally, elite biomechanics is the byproduct of elite acceleration and good mobility. It is very rare to get a baseball athlete with elite acceleration and mobility who just needs to work on his kinematic sequence in his pitching delivery. That being said, the ability for short pitchers to maximize their use of the kinetic chain is extremely important. It allows them to get the most velocity out of their bodies and also is the most efficient way to throw, reducing the risk of injury.
Case Study: Anonymous MILB Pitcher
This pitcher was 5’ 10” and could throw 95 MPH. The video above is a motion capture in the offseason of him throwing 88 MPH. You can see how his kinematic sequence peaks from pelvis, chest and finally trail arm. This is the proper timing and sequencing of the kinetic chain. It allowed him to efficiently transfer energy from his lower half through his hips, trunk and finally the arm to maximize throwing velocity. He also had some of the highest angular and linear velocity speeds of the hip in our database.
Put It All Together
Short pitchers are elite accelerators, have good mobility and they express that through their kinetic chain with elite biomechanics. They have to be good at all of these components to make up for the lack of mass and leverage. Every pitcher should be using their training to improve all 3 of these aspects. It will improve both pitching velocity and reduce the risk of injury. If you want to get measured and see where you compare to the elites in this game, come down and train at the facility long term.
If you want to learn more please follow us on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,) @stevenguadagni (Youtube) @5toolsportsscience and feel free to send in video of your pitching or hitting mechanics for a free analysis. If you want to train with us we have several options. Come down for long term training at our facility or remote 1 on 1 online training from home. Learn how to optimize your mechanics and perform at the highest level possible! Hope you guys enjoyed the article. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.