How I trained Myself to be a Professional Pitcher

Most people assume you have to be freakishly gifted to sign with a professional baseball team.

I used to think so too… But when I reverse-engineered my own journey to signing with the Philadelphia Phillies:

What I found was a repeatable, step-by-step process.

If you’re 15–17 and you train with intention, this is absolutely within reach.

It isn’t easy, and there are hard truths along the way, but it is simple.

Below is the exact blueprint I followed—and how you can adapt it.

Step 1: Be a Pitcher

I got signed as a pitcher, and for good reason: pitching is rich with objective metrics. If the numbers improve, you improve.

I have no clue how to get signed as a position player, but 99% of you here are pitchers so let’s keep it going.

The objective measurements to improve:

• Velocity: Gets your foot in the door. 95 mph is the new 90.

• Strike Percentage: 60%+ matters. Being reliably in the zone gets you on the field.

• Pitch Quality: Think Stuff+ for true comparative quality vs. MLB benchmarks

These aren’t opinions—they’re measurements.

In theory, if you locked someone in a lab for 2–3 years and trained these variables, you could manufacture an MLB player.

If you throw 95mph+, 60%+ strikes, and carry three above-average pitches, you will get seen and you will most likely dominate.

For pitchers: improve the metrics, improve the outcome.

Step 2: Don’t fall for the traps

Now here’s where most players get stuck.

They get caught in one of these traps that waste precious time out of your baseball career:

• Trying to get ‘exposure’ without being good at the objective measurements. Showcases, travel ball, tournaments—if you’re 78–85, they’re usually a waste of time and money. The first thing a scout pulls out is a radar gun. If the number isn’t competitive, everything else is “maybe next year.”

• Complacency kills careers. Most players tell themselves they’re “good” because they strike out high-school hitters. Then they wonder why no college or professional scout is reaching out.

• “I’ll throw harder with age” is a myth. If that were automatic, every 18-year-old would be 90mph+. They aren’t. The ones who get there train like it’s their job.

If reading this stings, that’s good.

A Quick Case Study: The 77–78 mph Prospect

A 16-year-old I spoke to recently wanted to leave a serious training program to pay for a “can’t-miss” travel tournament—because “that’s where kids get recruited.” He was 77–78. I asked: How many 78 mph arms got real D1 offers last year from that event? Silence. The honest answer is zero. Exposure doesn’t replace readiness. Train first. Showcase later.

Step 3: Aim for 95mph+

Why 95? Because 95 is undeniable. At 90mph, you’re interesting.

At 95, you’re unavoidable.

Aim for 95 and land at 91–93?

You’re still in a great spot.

Aim for 90 and land at 86–88?

You’re in “stock righty” territory.

The Development Blueprint (How I Went 78 → 96 in 16 Months)

I took 16 months off from competing to focus purely on development.

You don’t have to quit playing entirely, but the priority must be development.

Lifting lighter to “save it for the weekend,” then needing days to recover from 100-pitch outings, will slow progress.

Training should be the priority if you want to get to the next level.

Here’s how I did it:

(All three pillars below progress together, not sequentially.)

1) Build the Frame: Mass & Strength

At 16 I was 140–150 lbs and needed size.

The goal: increase lean mass.

A simple (imperfect but useful) heuristic: be at least ~2.5× your height in inches (lean) for a strong baseline.

That put me ~185 lbs minimum at 6'2"; I ultimately ballooned past 200 when I was throwing in the mid-90s.

• Nutrition: Caloric surplus. If the weight scale isn’t trending up, you’re not eating enough—period.

• Strength: Progressive overload to raise total force potential. Early on, more muscle and strength reliably relate to more velo.

• Caveat: At advanced levels, more mass won’t lead to higher velocities. How well you move your body becomes the priority.

2) Convert Strength to Speed: Rate of Force Development (RFD)

The pitching delivery happens in milliseconds. You must apply huge force fast.

• Training emphasis: Explosive lifts, overcoming isometrics (max intent against immovable load), sprints, jumps, VBT (chasing bar speed).

• Energy system: Improve ATPCP efficiency—short, maximal outputs with high quality.

• Why it matters: Strength you can’t express quickly is useless for a pitcher.

3) Throwing & Mechanics

You can produce all the force in the world, but if it leaks in the delivery, it wont matter. Mechanics transfer the force you’ve built to the mound.

• Patterning: Purposeful plyo drills to shape positions and sequences

• High-Intent Exposure: You must practice throwing hard. Pull-downs and intent days teach your CNS what max output feels like and build an elite lead-leg block.

• Honing at Elite Speeds: As you approach 90–95, mechanics become the primary bottleneck. Most college guys already create enough raw force; they just lose it before it reaches the ball. Clean sequencing becomes king.

Step 4: Seek Exposure (Distribution Comes Last)

Once you’re actually good enough, one showcase can change everything.

After my 16-month development block, I threw in 2–3 games at big Arizona events and walked away with 50+ D1 offers and multiple pro opportunities.

Scouts are paid to find talent; if you’re ready, they will.

Practical leverage plays:

• Commit to a strong D1 if you can. It gives you negotiating leverage with professional organizations (the offers I got 10x when D1 offers started to come in).

• Use an agent/advisor to handle calls, numbers, and logistics so you can keep training and focus on competing.

• Know your number. Decide the signing bonus you’d accept to forgo college and stick to it.

The Summary:

1. Improve objective measurements. Pitching gives you objective targets.

2. Make 95 the target. It changes your recruiting tier overnight.

3. Build the frame. Add lean mass; get meaningfully stronger.

4. Train for speed. Prioritize RFD, explosive intent, and high-output quality.

5. Master transfer. Mechanics that deliver force to the ball are everything.

6. Distribute when ready. Showcase after you’re undeniable, not before.

7. Leverage your options. Strong D1 interest + a clear number + an advisor

Final Word

Most players never get honest enough to get good enough. If you can accept where you are, commit to these steps, and show up relentlessly, you give yourself a real chance. That’s the path I took from 78 to 96 and into a professional contract.

If you want this mapped for you day-to-day—with programming, checkpoints, and coaching—that’s exactly what we do at The Pitcher Lab. We build a custom plan, guide you through it, and keep your training focused on the metrics that matter so you maximize your shot at D1 and pro ball. If that sounds like what you need, you can talk to us here.

Have a good day!