Little League Pitching: Qualities Of A Good Pitcher

At the early stages of a baseball pitcher's development, there are a number of qualities that can really make a difference on the mound and for the success of the team. In this article, I'll share the three I feel are most important pertaining to youth pitching, little league pitching, and coaching youth pitchers.

1. The ability to pitch with control. - I don't care how fast you throw, but you must throw strikes. Walks will almost always come back to haunt you! On the Little League team that I help coach, the players that pitch are the players that can throw strikes consistently. Make the other team "earn" their way on base. Throw the ball over the plate and let your teammates help you on defense.

2. The ability to pitch with confidence and poise - I want you to know that you're going to get them out. I don't want you standing out there hoping you'll get them out.

3. The ability to throw hard - At the Little League level, throwing hard is not nearly as important as throwing strikes! It's nice to have a 98 - 100 MPH fastball like Tim Lincecum, but you gotta throw it for strike

You can learn more valuable Little League pitching tips in my latest baseball book series here.