Former MLB Pitcher Chris Hammond Shares His Advice for Young Pitchers [Audio]

In any team sport, one of the most important factors to winning consistently is player development.

For baseball teams at all levels, developing quality pitching is a big key to success.

Former MLB pitcher Chris Hammond entered Inside the Locker Room with Wimp and Barry Sanderson to reflect on pitching in the big leagues and offer his advice to young pitchers.

With little league and high school baseball seasons getting started across America, the former big league pitcher also brought up a pitch other than a curveball that can be damaging to the arms of young, inexperienced pitchers.

“I talked to an orthopedic surgeon a few years ago, and he told me something I really didn’t know that the slider is the worst pitch on your arm, on your elbow.” Hammond explained the surgeon’s advice on when to allow young pitchers to start throwing the slider. “For a kid to throw a slider, they need to wait until they’re at least 16 to 17 years old.” Hammond said.

Catch Inside the Locker Room every weekday from 7-9 AM on Tide 99.1 and the radioPup app.