Strength & Conditioning for Youth Athletes - A Baseball Parents Guide

Dr. Jay Copeland
Feb 8
3 min read

Introduction

Every parent wants their young athlete to succeed and stay healthy. This guide is designed to help you understand the importance of proper training for baseball, why foundational athletic skills should come first, and how multi-sport participation benefits your child. By focusing on movement quality, strength, agility, and overall athleticism, we can set young athletes up for long-term success.

Playing Baseball vs. Training for Baseball

Playing baseball and training for baseball are two different things. While playing the game helps refine skills like hitting, throwing, and fielding, training develops the physical attributes necessary to excel in these skills. Proper training enhances:

Strength and power for better hitting and throwing velocity
Speed and agility for improved base running and defensive play
Mobility and stability to prevent injuries
Endurance to maintain performance throughout the season

Training prepares young athletes for the demands of the game and builds resilience against injuries, allowing them to perform at their best.

Becoming an Athlete First, Baseball Player Second

The foundation of a great baseball player is built on general athleticism. Young athletes should first focus on fundamental movement skills such as:

Running, jumping, and landing mechanics
Balance, coordination, and spatial awareness
Strength and body control

Developing these skills early in life sets the stage for mastering sport-specific techniques later on. Prioritizing overall athletic development ensures a stronger, more resilient athlete who can excel in baseball and any other sport they choose.

The Importance of Multi-Sport Participation

Specializing in one sport too early can increase the risk of overuse injuries, particularly in the arm. Encouraging kids to participate in multiple sports offers several benefits:

Reduces Overuse Injuries: Playing different sports naturally limits repetitive movements, allowing muscles and joints to recover.
Develops Athleticism: Exposure to different movements improves speed, agility, balance, and coordination.
Creates a Natural Offseason: This gives young athletes time to rest and recover, preventing burnout and promoting longevity in sports.

Research indicates that the majority of professional athletes, including those in Major League Baseball (MLB), engaged in multiple sports during their youth. Early specialization is more common in sports such as gymnastics, tennis, swimming, diving, whereas football and baseball athletes tend to specialize later. (PMC.NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV) This suggests that early specialization is relatively rare among top MLB players. If we want our athletes to reach the highest levels, why wouldn’t we follow the blueprint of what the top MLB players have done? What makes your youth athlete the exception?

Dr. James Andrews, a renowned orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine expert, has strongly advocated for multi-sport participation in youth athletes. He has repeatedly warned against early specialization, citing that year-round baseball significantly increases the risk of overuse injuries and can limit an athlete’s long-term throwing potential. In his research and through the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI), Dr. Andrews states:

"The biggest problem in youth baseball today is year-round play. The young throwing arm needs periods of rest to develop properly. Overuse and lack of rest lead to a higher risk of injury and can even limit a player's ability to throw harder later in life."

Multi-sport participation creates well-rounded athletes who are more adaptable and capable in baseball and beyond.