How anyone can throw 90mph

Learn how our guys gain 3-5mph (at least):

If you’re serious about throwing 90 miles per hour — especially if you weren’t blessed with elite genetics — you need to hear this.

I trained myself from a skinny 16-year-old throwing 78 to hitting 96 mph in just 16 months. At The Pitcher Lab, we’ve helped dozens of pitchers hit their first 90.

Here are the five raw truths about getting there that nobody talks about.

1. Most Pitchers Do the Wrong Stuff

When I started out, I believed the biggest lie in amateur baseball: that I’d “grow into” velocity.

People said, “Don’t worry, you’ll get older, stronger, and the velo will just show up.” But unless you’re in the top 0.01% genetically, that’s not how it works.

Getting bigger doesn’t guarantee you’ll throw harder — you’ll just be a stronger version of the same slow thrower.

Complacency kills more careers than lack of talent ever will.

The guys who hit 90+ don’t leave it to chance. They train for it, intentionally and relentlessly, while others hope it magically happens.

2. Random Drills Online Won’t Get You There

Once you accept you need to train, the next trap is grabbing random drills from social media. One coach says, “Throw plyos.” Another says, “Never touch a plyo.” One says, “Lift heavy.” Another says, “Lifting is eyewash.”

It’s chaos.

The truth is, a random mix of other people’s drills — without context, progression, or feedback — is a recipe for spinning your wheels, overtraining, or getting hurt.

Real velocity development is a system. It needs to be specific to you — your body, your delivery, your weaknesses. That’s why so many guys waste years “trying everything” and getting nowhere.

3. Your Mindset Might Be the Biggest Roadblock

Your brain can hold you back more than your mechanics ever will.

When I was 16, throwing 78 in Sydney, 90 mph felt like magic. I thought, “Those guys must be freaks.” That mindset became a ceiling.

Everything changed when I trained in Seattle, surrounded by older pitchers throwing 90+ every day. Suddenly, 90 wasn’t special — 95 was the new standard. That new environment shattered my limiting belief.

If you believe 90 mph is impossible, you’ll subconsciously train like it is. If you believe it’s normal, you’ll do the work to get there.

If you can’t be around guys throwing 90+ in person, watch them online. Find videos, breakdowns, bullpens — anything to normalize it.

And read. Psycho-Cybernetics, Atomic Habits, Can’t Hurt Me, Mindset, The Dip. These books rewired how I thought about hard goals.

4. Progress Won’t Be Linear

Everyone thinks velocity climbs in a perfect straight line: one mile per hour every month. That’s not reality.

It’s more like: work, work, work, no gain, then suddenly — a big jump. Then another grind phase.

Your body needs time to adapt. It gets stressed, fatigued, adjusts — then you pop. But most guys quit in the grind phase because they think the work isn’t working.

Trust the process. Not the cliché — the real process: accumulate good days, stack small wins, and your body will deliver.

5. Stack Small Wins Until the Big Ones Come

During the grind, find your wins.

Did you PR your squat? That’s a win.
Did you gain more hip mobility? That’s a win.
Did your delivery feel smoother today? That’s another win.

Those tiny wins keep you moving when the radar gun doesn’t.

Most guys overestimate what they can do in three months and underestimate what they can do in a year. One hour a day, every day, adds up to more than 300 hours a year. That’s what it really takes.

P.S.

If you’re looking to gain pitching velocity, our guys gain an average of 3-5mph (at least). You can see how we do it here:

You can also watch my full guide to throwing 95mph here: