Environment is Everything w/Nick Kuzia

Former Kansas City Royals & Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Harold Mozingo joins the show to share his experience in MiLB and how being a shortstop helped him get drafted as a pitcher out of high school! Harold played his college baseball at VCU and was drafted in the 6th round by the Royals with one of the coolest draft day stories that has been shared on the podcast.  Harold is the owner of Mozingo Baseball and coaches players of all ages and experience levels in Virginia. We talk about the latest research to come out of the Mozingo Baseball facility, including how to manipulate the spin rate of a baseball to your advantage with a Super Blow Pop. We get into  Harold's coaching philosophies and the different ways that he trains his players to prepare them to play at higher levels! There's something for every pitcher and parent in this episode! Hope you enjoy! Follow Punch Out Pitching (www.punchoutpitching.com) Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching  Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching  Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Sherriff joins the program to talk about pitching in the 2020 World Series, MLB's COVID season, and his journey to the big leagues. Ryan is a fellow Tommy John surgery survivor, and we talk a little bit about coming back from a major surgery and what it takes to stay healthy over the long haul. Ryan has one of the best two seam fastballs in baseball, and he shares his mindset for getting big league hitters out!  This is a great listen for parents and players because Ryan's road to the show hasn't been smooth. A lot of young players need to learn from Ryan that persistence is power! If you have a dream, don't let anything stop you! I hope you enjoy!  Follow Punch Out Pitching (www.punchoutpitching.com) Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching  Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching  Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/

Nick Silva joins the show to talk about his journey to professional baseball and the benefits of being a "late bloomer", establishing a routine as a starter/reliever, and what it's really like playing Minor League Baseball in Arizona in the summer.  Nick was a college teammate of mine at the University of Maine, and we talk about him making the transition from playing baseball from hot to cold weather! Nick also shares some amazing stories from 2009, when his uncle Alex Rodriguez won the World Series with the Yankees.  It's always great to talk with friends, and I think you'll love this interview with Nick and see behind the scenes of what it takes to become a pro! WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/-2AXOC83LGg Follow Punch Out Pitching (www.punchoutpitching.com) Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching  Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching  Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/

**WARNING: This episode contains profanity and strong language**  Eric Sim joins the show to talk through what things were like playing baseball in Korea, and some lessons he learned along the way as he made his way up the baseball ranks and into pro baseball. We talk about Draft Day,  how to talk to scouts, and some stories about what it truly means to grind. Mindset is everything! We dig into what has gotten Eric to go for Project 95 or Die, and the mindset you need in order to be a BEAST in baseball. You won't want to miss this episode! Eric Sim played professional baseball with the San Fransisco Giants organization, and had a very unique path on how he got there. Eric was the first ever Korean-Canadian to be drafted and play professional baseball, and he's now set his sights on some more goals in baseball. Eric wants to bench 405 lbs and throw 95 MPH. WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/L2dWZj30lGM  Follow Punch Out Pitching (www.punchoutpitching.com) Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching  Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching  Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/

Detroit Tigers pitching prospect Alex Faedo (@alexfaedo) talks about his journey growing up with BIG LEAGUE talent around him and what it was like winning a National Championship at the University of Florida in 2017.  We talk about life on the road as a minor leaguer, and Alex teaches you how to throw the slider that got him drafted in the first round in 2017 (https://youtu.be/4KWgk-uGfw4).  You will learn what Jose Fernandez (Alex's mentor growing up) taught him about work ethic and what it truly takes to be a big leaguer! There's a lot of great stuff in this episode as me and Alex chop it up and talk pitching!  I hope you enjoy and please share the show with someone that you know could benefit from listening! Follow Punch Out Pitching (www.punchoutpitching.com) Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching  Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching  Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/

Bring a notebook! Dr. Tom House joins the show to talk all things pitching, including his comprehensive, science-based methodology for training pitchers.  YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE! Tom played and coached in the MLB and has worked with many ELITE throwers, including Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. Tom is often called the “father of modern pitching mechanics” and a “professor of throwing,” and shares some amazing tips for players and coaches. This episode is jammed with information, and I hope you enjoy! GET EARLY ACCESS TO TOM'S NEW APP, MUSTARD https://teammstrd.com/ Pitch Totals For All Ages mlb.com/pitch-smart Tom's Book Recommendation - Range davidepstein.com/the-range/ Follow Punch Out Pitching - www.punchoutpitching.com Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching   Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching   Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin  YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw  TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/

San Diego Padres Prospect Nick Kuzia (@kuzpitching) joins the show to discuss his journey from throwing 77 MPH to 100 MPH! We touch on the importance of your training environment, off speed pitches, and how minor league baseball is changing faster than you'd think. This is a great episode for younger kids to listen to! You get a behind the scenes look at how to create more opportunities for yourself in the game of baseball.  Nick is a UMass-Lowell product and he signed in 2017 with the San Diego Padres as an Undrafted Free Agent. In 2019 Nick pitched at 3 levels and was a Double-A Texas League Champion. Nick also lets you in on a huge secret... "It's harder to hit pitches that are thrown faster! So why not throw faster?!" Follow Punch Out Pitching (www.punchoutpitching.com) Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching  Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching  Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/

Former Arizona Christian University and Husson University Pitcher Cody Collins joins the show to talk all things baseball development. Cody graduated high school in a class of 20 kids, and was a Mr. Baseball Finalist his senior year in the state of Maine.  We talk about how an undersized kid from Maine got a shot to play in Arizona, and how to navigate through bumps in the road along your baseball journey.  We get into detail about the differences between NAIA & Division III baseball, and what misconceptions people might have about DIII baseball. Cody gets into specifics about his baseball development growing up and what can separate you from the pack when growing up in a small town.  Follow Punch Out Pitching (www.punchoutpitching.com) Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching  Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching  Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/

A MESSAGE FOR UNPREPARED PITCHERS: Don't go out and throw 90 pitches on Day 1. Especially if you haven't thrown; you're taking a huge risk and putting a lot of stress on a developing arm.  Give this episode a listen about building up a pitch count safely, and how to talk to a coach about staying HEALTHY over the entire summer.  Even if you have thrown a bunch, there's no need to throw a complete game on Day 1. SAVE YOUR BULLETS! Build up slowly, and make sure you don't get over-used when you haven't had the proper amount of time to build up.  Follow Punch Out Pitching (www.punchoutpitching.com) Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching  Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching  Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/

University of Southern Maine Pitcher Gage Feeney of Cutler, ME joins the show to talk about finding a home in college baseball and what it's like being a college athlete coming from a town of less than 1,000 people.  This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, and during a time where all college seniors have the ability to transfer to another school. Gage tells his story of transferring from the University of Maine (DI) to the University of Southern Maine (DIII). We get into detail about the differences between Division I & Division III baseball, and what goes on in the Northeast during baseball season. Gage gets into specifics about his baseball development growing up, and why you have to have GOALS and aspirations for your baseball career.  Follow Punch Out Pitching (www.punchoutpitching.com) Instagram: instagram.com/punchoutpitching  Facebook: facebook.com/punchoutpitching  Twitter: twitter.com/punchoutpitchin YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCmWKpgOki9cXNicUoT3g_Lw TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/WmftuW/