Today we dive into the importance of pitchers being able to stay in the moment while on the mound.
Our minds seem to always be tempted to dwell on the past or the future. The best ballplayers learn to train their minds to consistently stay in the moment.
Today we hear from the Washington Nationals first overall 2013 draft pick (which came in the 2nd round), Jake Johansen.
I met Jake a few years back while he was pitching for Dallas Baptist University. He is a great person with tons of physical talent, but almost all our convos over the years ended up being about the mental side of pitching.
Going from a 45th round draft pick out of HS to a 2nd rounder four years later was a mental toughness journey for Jake. He had one of the best pitching coaches in the country to help (Wes Johnson).
Jake finished his first season of pro baseball w a 1.92 era in 12 starts.
In the video below, Jake talks about his mental side of pitching, the specific phrase he says to himself before every start, best advice for aspiring pitchers, and more.
Enjoy!
