High School Tryouts: What Coaches Want

What High School Coaches Really Want from Their Pitchers

I know I’ve shared similar insights on high school tryouts before, but after interviewing coaches from Chicago and the suburbs, I’ve refined my thoughts. Tryouts are next month, so I wanted to pass along what I’ve learned. Across the board, coaches emphasized a few key themes when evaluating pitchers.

Please, please throw strikes.

If there was one thing coaches practically begged me—a pitching coach—to help with, it was this. I hated to break it to them, but throwing strikes isn’t something I can magically fix overnight. It comes down to you. If you want to be accurate, you need to be throwing with your catcher 3 to 4 times per week, year-round. That’s where consistency is built.

Even if you aren’t the fastest, or if you don’t have a ton of movement, accuracy will get you on the field. The more you can hit your spots, the more you give your defense a chance to shine—and the more playing time you’ll earn.

You need a changeup.

Coaches see this as a fundamental skill. A good changeup is deceptive, significantly slower than your fastball, and can be thrown with command. Without it, you’re not a true asset—unless there’s simply no one better on the roster.

One coach from a top-tier program told me she wants her pitchers to have a true “strikeout pitch”—one that consistently generates swings and misses, not just weak grounders. A well-executed changeup can absolutely be that pitch.

Don’t claim to throw movement pitches if you can’t throw a strike.

Every single coach echoed this frustration. It’s about self-awareness. If you can’t accurately assess your own performance, how can you improve?

This ties into the growth mindset you’ve learned in school—those who believe they already know everything stop progressing. You should understand what a curveball spin should look like and be able to evaluate whether you actually executed it. Coaches want self-motivated players. They don’t want to rely on a pitcher’s dad or private coach to tell them that did well—you need to develop that skill for yourself.

Build the stamina to pitch a full game.

Coaches want to keep their best pitchers in for multiple innings—but you have to be able to handle it. If you’re accurate and can go the distance, you’re incredibly valuable. Build your endurance now, so when the time comes, your coach can trust you to finish what you started.

Your mechanics? That’s up to you.

Most high school coaches weren’t pitchers themselves, and they aren’t looking to change what your private coach has taught you. They expect you to take ownership of your training. Be assertive, know what drills you need, and take responsibility for your development.

What Coaches Didn’t Say

Interestingly, not one coach mentioned demeanor or attitude. Why? Because it’s a given. When talking about pitching, people tend to focus on the technical side, which explains why so many pitchers become perfectionists. But pitching is just as much a mental battle as a physical one. Only the toughest survive.

Another takeaway? While every coach stressed the importance of throwing strikes, when I asked for specific strike percentage goals, most couldn’t provide an exact number. A few mentioned they’d like to track it better, but ultimately, they’re comparing you against other players rather than a set standard. Unlike college programs, high school teams often lack the time and resources to develop detailed tracking systems.

The Good News? You Control Your Future.

Your performance, work ethic, and leadership will shape your experience. Want to stand out? Prove you can throw strikes. Show your ability to change speeds and command the zone. Build the stamina to go the distance. If you can do those things, you’ll not only earn a spot—you’ll be a game-changer.

And most importantly, you’ll get to play the game the right way and have a great season.