What does pitchability mean?

A lot of players and their parents ask how important velocity is to college coaches and pro scouts.  If you listen to the answers, you’ll probably hear something like this …

“A pitcher needs to show that he has enough velocity to get college/pro hitters out.  Certainly, more velocity is better than less velocity since high velocity pitchers get away with more mistakes.  However, after getting a few innings worth of readings on the radar gun, we generally start to gauge the kid’s “pitchability.”

The question then becomes … what does pitchability mean?

 

The pitchability of a kid involves all of the following:

• He can throw any pitch anytime which makes him unpredictable.
• The batters in the other line-up that he should get out, he gets out.
• He doesn’t let their best hitters beat them.  He’s not afraid to walk or pitch around them.
• He minimizes fastball counts by getting ahead and staying ahead.
• He can throw strikes on both sides of the plate.
• He makes his best pitches when it counts the most.  Anyone can throw a good breaking pitch on the black when they are facing the eight hitter with nobody on and his team is up 6-0.  Can he hit the black with the bases loaded and the third hitter is up with the winning run on second?
• He consistently repeats his delivery.
• He throws just as well from the stretch as he does from the wind-up.
• He works quick but doesn’t rush.
• He is consistently around the knees with all his pitches.

There are probably other things that people would add but the major point here is this … Even a kid with less-than-average velocity can be very effective if their pitchability is high.  Add a high velocity to the mix and you have a prospect.  Make him left handed and you basically have Cliff Lee!  

Realistically, velocity is most often a matter of genetics.  Pitchability on the other hand is something all pitchers can control and therefore improve upon.

Next post:  No double taps for shortstops