The changeup
Every young pitcher wants a curveball. The pitch that actually gets hitters out at that age, and the one the published guidance recommends, is the changeup. It is also the hardest pitch to learn well, which is exactly why it is worth starting early.
What the guidance says
Pitch Smart, from MLB and USA Baseball, recommends that nine to twelve year olds throw only fastballs and changeups, and says thirteen and fourteen year olds can begin using breaking pitches after developing a consistent fastball and changeup. The changeup is not a consolation prize. It is the next step.
Why it works
A good changeup comes out of the hand with the same arm speed and the same look as the fastball, and simply arrives later. Hitters time the fastball and are out in front. At young ages, where most hitters are sitting on fastballs, a real changeup is often the best pitch on the field.
Why it is hard
Most kids slow their arm down to throw it slower, which tells the hitter exactly what is coming. The fix is in the grip, not the arm. A grip that takes speed off the ball lets the pitcher throw it with full arm speed. Finding the grip that works for that athlete is trial and error, and it takes reps.
How we teach it
At PPL a changeup is not judged by how it feels. Trackman shows how much speed it takes off and how it moves compared with the fastball, and high speed video shows what the fingers are doing at release. That turns a frustrating pitch into a series of small changes an athlete can see working.
Questions parents ask
The changeup. Pitch Smart recommends fastballs and changeups only for nine to twelve year olds, and breaking balls only after a consistent fastball and changeup are in place.
Once a young pitcher can throw a fastball for strikes with a repeatable delivery, usually around nine to twelve, it is a good time to start. Grip size matters, so smaller hands often need a different grip than an adult would use.
Because it is the natural way to throw something slower. The goal is a grip that takes the speed off so the arm can stay fast. That takes reps and usually some trial and error with grips.
The research points to how much a kid pitches and pitching while tired as the bigger injury factors, more than pitch type. The changeup comes first because it is what young pitchers can throw well and what sets up everything later.
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