Dear Baseball Families and Coaches,
Have you heard of Albert Einsten’s quote about the definition of Insanity?
It is doing the same thing over and over repeatedly and expecting different results each time.
This is continually true with our baseball playing son and those parents who need help working with their son. As we start to reach the apex of a very long baseball season, it’s more important than ever to protect the most valuable asset on the field: our young athletes.
One of the most common and preventable issues we see is pitching-related injuries—often caused by overuse, improper mechanics, or pressure to “throw harder” before a young arm is ready.
Here in So Cal, baseball is pretty much a year-round activity. Maybe take a few weeks off then it is time to get going with Fall games and tournaments. And this time frame is pretty much one of the many problems with arm injuries with young baseball pitchers.
The Problem: Common Youth Pitching Injuries
Youth pitchers are especially vulnerable to injuries due to developing bones and muscles. The most frequent injuries include:
- Little League Elbow – Overuse injury causing pain in the inner elbow.
- Shoulder impingement – Often from poor mechanics or throwing too many pitches.
- UCL strain (early signs of Tommy John) – Increasingly seen in athletes as young as 13.
These injuries often start with fatigue, soreness, or a drop in performance. Ignoring early symptoms can lead to long-term damage—or even surgery.
Injury Prevention Tips
Here’s how we can keep young arms healthy all season long:
- Follow Pitch Count Limits
Stick to the your local league USA Baseball and MLB Pitch Smart Guidelines. However, the parents of a youth pitcher need to know what is best for their own child. These guidelines of the above organizations are very general and might be a terrible statement for your son. Such as the most important part of a long season is in the beginning of the year where I subscribe to the theory that a young pitchers should adhere to 1 inning, or 20 pitches. For the first several times out.
2. Prioritize Rest
- No more than 1-2 games per week for pitchers
- Take no more than a couple of weeks from throwing each year. The ‘rule’ that I could by is for every week you take off, or even an injury, then double that amount of time before you pitch again. Take 4 weeks then you shouldn’t pitch for 8 weeks after that 4 week period. It is one of the reasons why professional pitchers only take 2-4 weeks off. It is more work to get back to pitching shape then just playing catch and continually throw a few times a week. But bear in mind that throwing a baseball can go on year round…..just not pitching in a game. Even if your son needs a mental break then the same ‘rule’ should apply.
- Never pitch on consecutive days
3. Don’t Play Through Pain
Pain is a signal, not a challenge. If a player reports soreness, remove them immediately and consult a medical professional.
4. Proper Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs
Dynamic warm-ups before games and structured cool-downs (like light band work) can prevent muscle strain and fatigue.
5. Limit Non-Pitching Throwing
Playing catcher or shortstop after pitching can still strain the arm. Monitor overall throwing volume.
6. Mechanics Matter
Work with qualified coaches to develop safe, efficient throwing mechanics. Just because a young pitcher throws hard doesn’t mean they don’t need work on their throwing motion. I heard a terrible story of a 12u kid on the Hart tournament team who fractured his throwing elbow in what I am going to assume was unquestionably an overuse situation. Injuries like that can stay with a person for their entire life. If you have seen my throws in the facility, then you know how bad my delivery was up until age 19. Labrum tear (and surgery), 3 different rotator cuff tears…..I live in constant pain every single day of my life because of what happened to me earlier in life.
Throwzone Academy is THE leading pitching only facility who trains players the correct way in their quest for pitching excellence. I just can’t have players I work with end up like me later in life.
Message to Parents and Coaches
Remember, velocity and trophies are temporary—arm health is lifelong. A pitcher’s development is a marathon, not a sprint. Celebrate smart pitching habits and consistent effort over radar gun readings or win-loss records.
Let’s create a culture that values safety as much as success.
One Final Note: there are still available spots for both our older kids (13-19) and our youth camps (9-12 yo). The month of July is the best time to get our throwing routines, arm care and arm health locked before it is too late and gets away from us.
Until next time…
Jim
Jim Wagner's ThrowZone Academy 