Summary:
Nick Pivetta had one of the best second halves of any starter in 2023—driven largely by his own decision to overhaul his pitch mix. He developed a sweeper on his own, leaned into it hard, and reshaped his strikeout profile. My involvement was limited, but I helped him move more aggressively down the mound and throw his curveball with more intent—turning it from a passive, loopy offering into an actual weapon.

Before Training:
Nick opened 2023 in a tough spot. His curveball had become a slow, 76 mph lollipop—too slow to miss bats and too predictable to generate weak contact. His fastball had lost edge, and his mechanics lacked the tempo that used to separate him.

What We Worked On:

• Tempo and Intent: Restored his downhill aggression and simplified his move
  
  

• Curveball Shape and Speed: Turned it from a get-me-over pitch into a legit attack option—thrown harder, with more conviction, generating more swings and whiffs
  
  

• Return to Athleticism: Helped him compete instead of pitch careful
  
  

• Sweeper Development: 100% his own. Nick built it, trusted it, and turned it into a high-usage swing-and-miss pitch
  
  

Key Metrics:

• Fastball Velocity (Late 2023): 95+ mph
  
  

• K-BB% (2nd Half): 23.7%
  
  

• xfIP (Final Month): 2.60
  
  

• Strikeouts (September 2023): 36 in 24.1 IP
  
  

• Curveball Whiff Rate: Improved significantly with added velo and intent
  
  

Reflection:
This wasn’t a hands-on rebuild—it was a guy figuring himself out and betting on a different version of his game. Nick didn’t need to be handheld. He just needed space to get back to competing like himself, and to chase the right things. His second half speaks for itself.

Videos / Content:

• Pivetta’s Transformation