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This NAIA pitcher went from 88-89 MPH to 96-98 MPH
In 10 months.... 🤯
Here's how: ⬇️
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Craig Stem
5.4K posts
Craig Stem
@CraigStem
13 year pro pitcher turned Performance coach @TreadHQ | Follow me to learn about pitching development or to sign the guys I coach! Train with us 👇
Katılım Aralık 2009
1.4K Takip Edilen2.8K Takipçiler
@Cerk26 Generally I agree with you! I don’t think it’s “more effort” in the lower half as much as it is a well-timed sequence. My hardest throws feel like nothing on my arm so “easy cheese” is a massive focal point
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@CraigStem "comfort velocity"
Higher lower half / leg effort. Lower arm effort.
Command the zone. Control your body and pitches.
If you're teaching anything else you're damaging mechanics and arms.
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Yes, I push every guy I coach to throw hard.
No, that doesn’t mean velo is all that matters.
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@jrodbaseball_9 Blanket statements cut through the noise and start conversations (like this one!). I feel like there’s no way you don’t understand this. Maybe I’m wrong. But I appreciate you trying to help, if that’s what you’re trying to do (still not really sure). I’ll watch out! 👊
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@CraigStem I’m just saying watch out dude. You wrote the original blanket statement, then added the nuance after. At high levels of coaching and performance, language matters, especially when you’re the market leader and 500k players/coaches may see it.
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If you are a college pitcher who sits 85-87 mph and you're going to play summer ball... why?
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If you saw this post and were one of the few who actually understood the assignment… this is for you! I’ll tell you exactly what to do to maximize training this summer (it’s long…bookmark this)
Make training your full-time job for the next 90-120 days.
Summer ball is so much fun, but here’s the truth: it doesn’t allow you to do this work at the level it takes to make a real jump.
You can’t eat in a consistent surplus when you’re on buses, eating gas station food, and burning calories every other night.
You can’t lift heavy 4 days a week with real intent when your body is recovering from 5-7 innings pitched plus travel.
You can’t run a true high-intent throwing program (long toss, pull-downs, mechanics work) when you have to be available for games.
Sleep? Good luck getting 8-10 quality hours when games end at 11pm, you’re wired on adrenaline, and you’ve got a 6am bus ride to BFE the next day.
Mobility and recovery get half-assed at best.
This is your one window with no classes, no “hell week” in the fall, no daily game recovery. Treat it like a pro off-season and attack your lowest hanging fruit. For most of you sitting 85-87, that’s velocity. Period. Get to 90+ minimum, ideally 94+, and everything else gets easier.
Here’s the general framework that aligns with how we do it at Tread:
1. Nutrition – Fuel the damn engine
Stop half-assing your eating. You want to put on 10-20 lbs of good weight? Eat in a surplus. Track it.
1.5-2g protein per lb of bodyweight. Big meals with meat, rice/potatoes, veggies, and healthy fats.
Weigh yourself every week fasted. Not gaining? Add calories. Simple. No one executes on this and it’s just discipline. Discipline is easy.
2. Lifting – Build the power
Lift heavy 4 days a week with intent. Everyone’s needs are different here, but you probably just need strength.
Explosive on the power days. Progressive overload. Get strong as hell in the positions that matter for your delivery. Don’t skip the basics.
3. Throwing Plan – Build your arm up with purpose
take some time off for a week or two and then use a conservative on-ramp. Pick your velo phase. Many options here. Think it’s mechanical? Throw off the mound a lot. Think it’s output? Use long toss, pull-downs, then mound work. Ask someone who knows mechanics to help you with your throw.
Film everything. Throw with max intent on the right days and recover on the others. No games means you control the load perfectly.
4. Sleep & Recovery – This is where the gains actually happen
8-10 hours every night. Same bedtime. No doomscrolling on your phone till 1am.
Daily mobility, foam roll, walk, whatever you need. Manage soreness. Eat after training. Sleep hard. Repeat.
5. Mobility – don’t sleep on this. Find someone who can assess you or DYOR and come up with a routine and stick to it. Fix what’s tight so your mechanics don’t fight you. Reassess every 30 days.
Pick your biggest lever (usually velo + lean mass for these throwers) and obsess over it for the whole block. Track your weight, velo, sleep, and video. You don’t need perfection, you need consistency.
This isn’t for everyone. If you just want to play ball and have fun this summer… go do it! No shame. But if you’re serious about the next level… this is how you get there.
Know your why. Go attack it.
See you in the fall throwing harder 👊
Craig Stem@CraigStem
If you are a college pitcher who sits 85-87 mph and you're going to play summer ball... why?
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@jrodbaseball_9 “Every mid 8s guy”… There you go again putting words in my mouth and pretending like there’s no nuance to general advice
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@CraigStem Didn’t mean for you to crash out here. I’m just saying velo is one variable. Command, sequencing, inducing weak contact, self-regulation, and bounce-back all matter too. So telling every mid 8s guy to stop playing summer ball is a bit irresponsible for a market leader. That’s all
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I didn’t realize my original tweet was a mandatory individualized training manual for every single pitcher on earth instead of general advice for the vast majority sitting 85-87 chasing the next level.
Do I need to state the obvious before posting any general advice? … nothing applies to literally everyone. The exceptions are the pedagogy until you realize most aren’t exceptions and velo is still their clearest lever.
Using a broad post to dunk on ‘the industry not individualizing enough’ is some shallow thinking though. Nuance exists. You seem like a bright guy who is pretending not to understand things to make a point
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@CraigStem That’s the entire point though. The exceptions are the pedagogy. Development isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different players have different limiting factors, and the industry is getting worse at individualizing that. Nothing against you, it’s just your post highlighted that.
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@jrodbaseball_9 You know exactly what I am saying and are just arguing to argue. Obviously there are exceptions
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@CraigStem Yeah, it’s a contentious subject. You’re ignoring the pedagogy. A kid can show up throwing +4 mph in the fall & still not play if he’s 1.6 to the plate with no game feel. If your message was “guys throwing 86–88 who already logged 35+ innings should prioritize velo,” I’m with you
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Anyone who’s following me is looking to get to the next level. That’s who I’m talking to. Gotta throw hard to do that. We all know it. Let’s not act like 85 mph isn’t the slowest fastball you’ll see in college from a normal arm slot. Didn’t know this post was going to reach 500k people, and therefore casual players, when I posted it
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@CraigStem You’re wildly assuming velocity is the lowest hanging fruit for any player throwing 85–87. That’s a huge assumption.
And then urging every player to just train velo, throw into 9 hole nets and assume it will automatically transfer to performance is scientifically irresponsible.
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@CraigStem To work on navigating lineups, winning neutral counts, quality 0-2s, climbing back after being down 3-0, controlling the running game, regulating yourself between innings, going through a lineup 2-3 times, pitching under pressure, reflecting after performances….
That enough?
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@C_R_Enn @shegone03 Never pitched in the frontier league. At least talk shit accurately
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@shegone03 Internet guru Robby Rowland pitched in that league a few years ago and got pummeled. Another Craig Stem, but not as arrogant. But he made some cool videos, tho! 🤣🙄
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@CraigStem Love of the game probably. Only so many opportunities to play competitive ball.
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@CraigStem If you can only post stupid stuff on X ... why? Get better or stay off X.
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@CraigStem Love it when guys, who have been lucky enough to get by in life playing a kids game, dish out life advice like they are well versed in the real world
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@CraigStem Maybe u enjoy playing baseball and realize your dream of playing at the next level isn't realistic and understand this is your last chance to play competitively and with your buddies.
Simple...
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