What role do your fingers play in velocity and spin? More than most pitchers and coaches realize.

In this episode of Applied Baseball Science, Dr. Nicholas Serio of VeloU breaks down a 2024 study that used a sensor-embedded baseball to analyze finger strength, rate of force development (RFD), and anatomical structure in college pitchers — and how each contributes to fastball velocity and spin rate.

🔬 Key findings from the study:

• Middle finger force output strongly correlated with velocity and spin
  
  
  
• Rate of force development (RFD) in the index and middle fingers was just as important as peak strength
  
  
  
• Pinch strength (thumb + index/middle) was associated with higher fastball speeds
  
  
  
• Finger length differences — especially between index and middle — influenced spin efficiency
  
  
  

This video explains:

• Why force delivery matters as much as force generation
  
  
  
• How finger mechanics may be a hidden lever in pitcher development
  
  
  
• How VeloU trains finger-specific strength, deceleration, and adaptation
  
  
  

If you’re chasing velocity, spin rate, or just trying to get more out of what your body already produces — don’t overlook the last thing that touches the baseball.

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🎓 Learn more at https://www.velouniversity.com

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