Ben Joyce - Mechanical Breakdown

1. Posture and Balance 

• Joyce emphasizes coming set in a balanced position with 60% of his weight on his back foot and his spine straight. He's had issues in the past with getting too hunched over at the start, which causes you to get "spinny" or, in other terms, wasting energy toward the 1st baseline instead of home plate. 

2. Hand Separation 

• Interest note here as I am sure some will disagree with Joyce on the need to separate your hand from your glove early. Early is obviously a relative term, but he definitely does separate faster than most MLB pitchers. Early separation can help keep the arm on time and the release point more out in front. Conversely, late hand separation is one of the #1 causes of missing up in the zone for young pitchers. Especially when you get tired, your hand tends to separate later and later & that's why we see elevated pitches late in games. SO early separation seems like Joyce's was of trying to stay down in the zone. 

3. Back Leg Load

• Common theme in all MLB pitchers. Joyce is trying to keep weight in his back leg for as long as he can so he has a powerful base in which to drive from once his foot lands. Similar to what hitters do when they load to swing. The back hip hinges so that the back knee does not bend too far over the toe. 

4. Smooth & In Control 

• Very important mental cue for all pitchers of any age. You have to let your motion develop so that you are on time and ready to deliver the power at the right time. Having a High School pitcher try and throw a ball 85% often yields a higher velo reading than their 100% effort for this very reason. Being on time - not too rushed - not too slow - puts your body in the ideal position to fire from. Stay smooth until the foot gets down, then you will have the weight loaded and ready to go. 

5. Bring the House Down

• Once the foot gets down, Joyce does a better job than anyone in the game at using his strength to fire the ball to the plate. He has incredible core rotation and tree trunk legs, which combine to rotate his hips and shoulders with incredible speed. The tandem of core rotation and back leg drive is a recipe for sustainable velo. Notice that it is not a conscious effort to move the arm fast, but rather an effort to move the body fast, which will cause the arm to whip - maximizing velo.