Its probably a combination of issues. The biggest one is the belo and spin bump that is being pushed, particularly on younger players. Then the lack of rest and auxiliary sports. The inconsistency in grip of the balls. And finally, to some extent, the pitch clock.
Ultimately, a lot of this could be mitigated with the NPB tacky baseball and a concerted effort in amateur baseball to teach pitching rather than velo.
My kid was starting to think about trying to pitch in college when he was in middle school. Started looking into high school players going to college, and it seems that being at least 6'2 and throwing mid 90s is a pre-req to get to any D1 school, and there were hundreds in that category.
If colleges and pro teams aren't going to look at anyone throwing less than 90, how do you get junior baseball academies to stop prioritizing velocity?
I don't know what the answer is. Maybe if there was some way to encourage starters going deeper into games in the pros, it could help. But it sure seems like we are headed to pitching rosters filled with disposable guys throwing 100 for a couple innings, getting a couple TJs and calling it a career.
I'm so glad my son switched to golf! His prospects seem a lot better, and it feels a lot less destructive.
