Breaking ball development

Setup

1. Pair each pitcher with a catcher in full gear: helmet with mask, throat guard, chest protector, shin guards and cup. Bullpen catchers wear the full set every time.
2. Pitchers finish their dynamic warm-up and long-toss programme before any breaking ball is thrown. A cold arm never spins a ball.
3. Set the day's limit before you start. Every pitch counts towards the pitcher's daily total and rest days (follow Pitch Smart or your national body's guidelines). Early in a block, keep breaking balls to about 8–10 of a 30-pitch bullpen.
4. A stand-in batter in a helmet stands in the box without swinging, so the pitcher has a real target edge. Swap sides every 10 pitches.
5. Only pitchers who already command a fastball and change-up and repeat their delivery should work on breaking balls.

How it runs

1. Spin throws: at about 15 metres, the pitcher throws the breaking-ball grip to the catcher at half effort, watching for a tight, single-dot spin. 8–10 throws.
2. Move to the mound. Throw 6 fastballs to the glove side and arm side to settle the delivery.
3. Throw the breaking ball in sets of 2, aiming at a spot below the knees on the glove side ('start it at the knee, finish in the dirt' for a curve; 'glove-side corner' for a slider).
4. Follow every set of breaking balls with 2 fastballs, so the pitcher keeps the same arm speed and release for both.
5. The catcher calls each one: strike, chase (below or off the plate where a hitter would swing) or hanger (stayed up and flat). Keep a tally.
6. Finish with 3–4 fastballs to the glove side. Stop on the planned count, or at once if the pitcher feels any arm pain.

Coaching points

• Same arm speed as the fastball. The grip and wrist position make the spin; slowing the arm makes it hang.
• Curveball: the hand stays on top through release, pulling down in front of the body; the ball comes out over the front of the middle finger.
• Slider: fastball-type release with the fingers slightly off-centre, like turning a doorknob a little, not a hard twist of the elbow.
• Finish out front with the chest over the front knee. Releasing early or standing tall leaves it up in the zone.
• Aim the breaking ball at a start point, not the finish. Pick a spot the ball should leave from and let it break from there.
• Build the pitch over weeks, not one session: add a few breaking balls each week only if command and arm feel stay good.
• Pitchers at 16–18 still follow age-based pitch counts and rest days; no pitching on consecutive days after a high count.

Common mistakes

• Slowing the arm to 'guide' the spin, so the pitch floats and the hitter reads it early.
• Twisting the elbow and forearm hard at release instead of letting the grip and wrist angle do the work.
• Throwing breaking balls before the arm is properly warm.
• Too many breaking balls in one session because the pitch felt good.
• Catcher setting up in the middle of the plate, so the pitcher has no low target.