CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Developing College Pitchers with Dusty Blake

Written on June 17, 2020 at 7:48 pm, by Eric Cressey

We’re excited to welcome Duke University pitching coach Dusty Blake to this week’s podcast for a multi-faceted discussion that covers college recruiting, building a winning culture, optimizing pitch selection, using technology, and reflecting on the unprecedented times in the current baseball world.

A special thanks to this show’s sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you’ll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.

Show Outline

What inspired Dusty to start his career in coaching and how his passion for player development originated on his own quest for greatness
What specific coaching experience Dusty acquired prior to stepping into his current role as Duke’s pitching coach
How being a head coach at a smaller university prior to Duke uniquely prepared him for the challenges of being an ACC skills coach
How college baseball has evolved since Dusty first began his coaching career in 2004
Why fastball usage is trending down in professional baseball and how pitchers can learn to develop their own unique advantage by pitching off their best stuff
What the non-negotiables are for being a successful college pitcher
Why Dusty emphasizes winning counts for being an effective pitcher and how working ahead statistically impacts hitters’ performance
How head coach Chris Pollard and his staff have transformed Duke baseball since his hiring in 2013 and what intangibles have the coaching staff emphasized to revolutionize the culture of the program
What specific attributes the coaches of Duke are looking for when recruiting athletes to build their program and how players can stand out through the sheer volume of outreach collegiate coaches are receiving on a daily basis
What big mistakes players and parents are making in the college recruiting process
How the use of video and social media as a tool for exposure is more relevant than ever and how amateur athletes can maximize the usefulness of video when showcasing their skills to recruiters and scouts
How the influx of data in baseball has impacted coaching and developing players at the collegiate level and what the truly valuable resources bring to player performance
What specific analytical metrics Dusty initially evaluates when evaluating a pitcher
Why Dusty focuses on defining what a good pitch looks like analytically and how establishing this understanding with players allows them to be their best coach
How understanding what a quality pitch looks like for an individual is the foundational knowledge necessary for mastering the craft of pitching and creating consistency in a player’s skill set
Why no specific data point or analytical category reigns supreme for developing elite pitchers and how being hyper aware of certain attributes can hinder our ability to holistically evaluate a player’s ability
What specific challenges college coaches are facing heading into the 2020-2021 season
How Dusty relies on honesty and stresses the importance of routine and reliance to perform consistent at the highest level possible and specifically avoid slumping
Why player’s need to free themselves of the outcome and the idea of throwing with perfect command in order to dominate hitters

You can follow Dusty on Twitter at @Pitching360.

Sponsor Reminder

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