The Youth Pitching Epidemic

We've got a situation on our hands—a disturbing trend that's shaking up the baseball world. Arm injuries, once rare in young athletes, have become an epidemic. Promising pitchers are sidelined before their potential is even realized.

If you're searching for the best remote pitching coach or ways to prevent baseball injuries, keep reading. This is a call to action for coaches, parents, and athletes alike.

⚠️ The Workload Paradox: When Hard Work Hurts

At the heart of this epidemic is a contradiction: the very desire to excel is also what’s breaking down young arms.

• Athletes are chasing velocity, command, and dominance before their bodies are physically ready.
  
  
• Coaches and parents—often well-meaning—may unintentionally push athletes beyond safe limits.
  
  
• The result? A generation of pitchers facing chronic pain or career-ending injuries before age 18.
  
  

📊 The Numbers Don't Lie

• 50% of youth pitchers report elbow or shoulder pain in a single season.
  
  
• UCL injuries (e.g., Tommy John surgeries) have increased by 400% in high school athletes over the past decade.
  
  
• According to a study in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, youth pitchers who throw more than 100 innings per year are 3.5 times more likely to suffer a serious injury.
  
  

These are not flukes. They are a result of structural failures in youth development.

🎯 Pitch Count Pandemonium

Pitch count is one of the most overlooked risk factors in youth baseball:

• Some Little Leaguers are throwing 100+ pitches in a single outing.
  
  
• This exceeds what many professional arms tolerate.
  
  
• Developing tendons, ligaments, and neuromuscular patterns are simply not built for this stress.
  
  

And it doesn’t stop at pitch volume—recovery time, mechanics, and intensity all matter.

✅ The Blueprint for Injury Prevention

Here’s how we solve this:

1. Strict Pitch Count Guidelines

• Ages 12–15: Max 65 pitches per outing.
  
  
• High school varsity: Max 85–95 pitches, with 6–7 days rest between outings.
  
  

2. Inning and Game Limits

• No more than 20 pitches per inning or 45 per game for athletes under 13.
  
  

3. Invest in Proper Coaching

• Hire professionals who understand throwing mechanics, workload volume, and velocity training.
  
  
• Emphasize progressive loading, not burnout.
  
  

🧠 This is Where VeloU Steps In

At VeloU, our remote pitching training model is built to protect your arm and elevate your performance.

We offer:

• 📊 Weekly mechanical evaluations using Trackman, Edgertronic, and force plates
  
  
• 🧠 Mental performance sessions every 3 weeks
  
  
• 🩺 Quarterly motion capture assessments + regular physical appraisals
  
  
• 💪 Customized strength plans aligned with your throwing volume
  
  
• 🧵 Soft tissue work (2x/month for Premium athletes)
  
  
• 📲 Real-time support through our coaching dashboard
  
  
• 📈 Monthly progress reports so parents and athletes can track ROI
  
  
• 👨‍⚕️ Run by the best remote pitching coaches in the industry
  
  

"We don’t just chase velocity—we build bodies that can sustain it."

👇 Ready to Protect Your Arm and Maximize Your Potential?

Discover why VeloU is the best remote pitching training program for long-term development and injury prevention.

👉 Sign up for a free evaluation