Pitching Basics for Youth

Pitching is the most demanding position in baseball and the most likely to cause injury if done wrong. Start with mechanics, respect pitch counts, and never rush development.

The basic windup

Step	Action
1. Stance	Stand on the rubber, feet shoulder-width, ball in the glove
2. Rocker step	Small step back with the non-throwing foot
3. Pivot	Turn throwing-side foot parallel to the rubber
4. Leg lift	Lift lead knee to waist height, balanced
5. Stride	Step toward home — stride length should equal about body height
6. Arm action	Elbow above the shoulder, throw downhill toward the target
7. Follow through	Arm across the body, back leg follows through

Pitch count guidelines (USA Baseball / Pitch Smart)

Age	Max Pitches	Rest After 50+
7–8	50	1 day off
9–10	75	1–2 days off
11–12	85	2–3 days off
13–14	95	2–3 days off
15–16	95	3–4 days off

No curveballs before age 14. The research is clear — throwing breaking pitches before skeletal maturity significantly increases injury risk. Fastball and changeup only until high school. See arm care for more.