104 MPH Freak Or Elite Mechanics? | Ryan Helsley Breakdown 

I’m someone who pitched in high school and college back in the early and mid 00s and was obsessed with mechanics. But it felt like no one else cared or knew anything about it. Really nice to see a channel like this where someone not only gets it but clearly knows way more than me. Appreciate you.

Ryan is a stud. Great torque and stays back very nicely. Surely blessed with a great arm but has put the work in to build his base and mechanical soundness. I could throw mid 90's in my day in late 80s and 90s (didn't always know where pitch was going tho..lol) thanks to a God given arm but there are so many more improvements nowadays with the training and mechanical breakdowns, etc. It's pretty incredible. In our day we did some weights, long tossed like crazy and Jobe exercises..Technology has changed everything.

Mechanics are helpful and being strong, but to throw over 85 mph is a gift. The average person couldn’t throw over 60 mph

I as a former pitcher it everything, strength, weight, mechanics, practice, and desire, it's important to not only throw hard but control and places pitches were they need to be, I for my size only 70 mph is all I could muster, but I threw 7 pitches, and used deception as a weapon especially against left handed batters, been a South paw myself, pitching is such an art.

Been waiting for this!!!

Lets gooo! Finally, a breakdown video.

Killer breakdown as usual!

15:18 I've noticed a lot of the guys throwing low 100's do that. It's almost like a batter's scissor kick the way the back leg rotates in the opposite direction

While many pitchers have tweaked themselves using data from Dr Fleishman (and others) with the biomechanics labs using slo-mo cameras to get a little more power here and there, but worse mechanics overall (see all the new arm injuries over the last couple years).... don't forget that pitchers who were previously measured at 94-99mph on the Ray or Jugs systems (prior to 2015 when Statcast started) would have been measured at higher speeds (+5 to +7mph) on the Statcast system, particularly if they were throwing high-speed pitches that were affected by factors like spin, distance and elements. It's also worth noting that the Statcast system measures pitch velocity differently than the Ray and Jugs systems used prior to 2015. While the Ray and Jugs systems typically measure pitch speed closer to home plate, where the ball has already lost some speed due to external factors, the Statcast system is designed to measure pitch speed at a point closer to the pitcher's release, which has resulted in higher recorded velocities without the actual pitches being any faster than before. Just registered out of the hand vs at home plate which makes a 100mph pitcher actually throwing 94-95mph or 104mph pitcher throwing 98-99mph. Would MLB allow re-calibration of radar that brings more fans to the stadiums (you mean like tighter wound balls, lower mounds, smaller dimension fields to provide more offense) ... my guess is yes.

The mobility in his hips are absolutely insane. I have never once seen anybody with hips as powerful and mobile as his. He could definitely do the splits

Could please do a breakdown of Yu Darvishs mechanics? 🙏

His freak movement is his shoulder hip separation. At foot strike his pelvic line is near that 45 degree mark where his layback in his arm is about as far as I’ve seen without compromising healthy structures. You’re right in saying his shoulder and arm is a big part but that coupled with where his pelvis line is what’s so elite. I could train a pitcher to be strong flexible and try and get someone to see how far can we get shoulder hip separation and still come no where close to Ryan’s angles.

That backwards k on Mookie is wild

Could you consider doing a breakdown of Luis Castillo? He is my favorite baseball player even though he left the reds :(((( and I think it would greatly benefit me. Thanks! I hope you see this.

Have you noticed any patterns between forearm to humerus ratio and short vs long arm paths

slow the vid down to 0.25 First thing that pops is how well he sits down on his push leg. Next is stride length... I'd bet its over 100% of his height. (Tim Lincecum comes to mind on this) When he plants his front foot his shoulder axis nearly crosses his hip axis.... astounding torque...

Ryan Helsley has so much cake😭

As a Phillies fan I love Ryan Helsey

Could you breakdown gerrit coles mechanic’s?

Second year pitcher Durand for the twins, has touched 104 several times in spring games.throws a slider At 90 plus change up 89 plus.

Cab yall breakdown Sunny Gray?

Now I’m a essential noob but the worry with me is that knee motion when that back leg moves idk that just makes me think he’s a throw away from tearing a meniscus

Watching this guy I see the same movement as Koufax and Seaver. Efficient and powerful. I fear that this guy may blow out his arm throwing such hard sliders. I hope he develops a good curve, which would give his arm relief from throwing so hard, so often.

Can you throw like a pitcher like this if your short does height play a role and if so what does a shorter pitcher have to make up

“Fanny packs” 😂, shots fired pfa

We all have the capacity to be outstanding in at least one area. those who are outstanding in many areas are those who throw 104 in the strike zone

Where do the Cardinals find these guys?

I'm glad you noted how important genetics are. It's genetics + mechanics. One without the other you're going to be limited on what you can be.

A combination of genetics and mechanics to be sure, but until he does it for almost 27 years as a starter who actually finishes games, while dealing half dozen (or more) no-hitters and records over 5500 Ks, the word....."freak" to describe a pitcher belongs to 1 human and ONLY 1 human.

back in 1982 Uncle Rico could throw a ball over some mountains. 😲

Yamamoto Yoshinobu please! Or hiromi itoh!!

I just don’t get how he can stabilize the front leg. His pelvis has barley rotated into ffs. Why does that position work?

Honestly, looking at Tom Seaver ... see the same long arm action, I think.

1:25 isn’t this a drop 3rd strike. The Catcher didn’t catch it in flight.

He definitely puts all his hatred towards the Braves tomahawk chop with that kind of speed.

Greg maddux, Nolan Ryan, or Randy johnson

I have great mechanics. They help me get 200,000 miles out of my car. The best. 👍

When you’re generating this much drive force power into your front leg you have to fall off after release. This guy is strong as a bull look how big his legs and glutes are.

I want someone to point me out on an anatomy chart, which muscles are the fast twitch muscle fibers! That'll be a hoot!

Look at the power in his push off. That's the secret

I’ve never seen mechanics like this, wow, he could probably do the splits lol

Dang I’m getting the shorts first but not the real videos

He is throwing 100 without raising leg😮

Why he gettin notified before us

The Cardinals have or have had serious flame throwers.

Throwing very hard is less about the arm and more about using your entire body to throw a baseball. Anyone that just uses his arm to throw will not be throwing hard for very long. :)

YOU REALY ANNOYED ME WITH THE PITCH DELAY. SPEED IT UP TO KEEP MORE VIEWEVERS.............

Notice he don't short arm the ball. 🧐

Damn missed first

WHAT

What

Except Usain Bolt doesn’t really have good mechanics and relies more on his freakish talent, which is a scary thought.

Let’s not talk about his ‘yakd’ and explosive lower half transferring energy into his dynamic trunk to allow his long whippy arm action to deliver with clean mechanics

first

no, it's the same first name

Batting .720 that would have been .350 in the majors....thats a career meat...u know when u messed up when my moms dad was really expecting me to go to show...motorcycles were more important....sorry...what were u saying....

The pitch ain't impressive. What's impressive to me, is the batter being able to hit it.

Absolutely Unhittable

Hahahah fanny packs

His hands and leg are in sink. If thats in sink, his or everyones release point will be on time. Also, the weight of his body are on the balls of his feet.