How to Improve Fastball Command

On the latest Patrick Jones Baseball podcast, my guest is Ryan Atkinson, current pitching coordinator at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, owner of Performance House, and former MiLB pitcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Ryan went from undrafted out of the University of Cincinnati, got a real job working at a hospital for 12 months, and then decided to try out for an independent team. He made the Independent Team Evansville Otters, and less than two weeks later, the Arizona Diamondbacks signed him as a free agent. Ryan massively improved his Fastball command in a 2-year window. In his last season at the University of Cincinnati, he walked 45 batters in 71 innings. In his first full season of professional baseball, he had 60 BBs in 141 innings. The reason: Fastball command We discuss how to improve a pitcher's command, what Ryan changed over that 2 year time period, and the importance of discipline and hard work over a long period of time.

Timestamps for Ryan Atkinson

[3:39] Game Changer

[5:28] Building Confidence

[7:33] Mental Side of the Game

[12:13] Breathing Practice

[15:05] Mechanical Changes from College to Pro-ball

[17:37] Learning

[20:03] Released Early

[23:13] Regrets and Retirement

[29:02] Surprises from a Coaches Stand Point

[31:45] Bio-Mechanics

[35:05] My Process