In the modern era, the nurture of young pitchers involves strict limits on pitches. Julio Urias, the Dodgers’ 21-year-old prodigy, has started 89 professional games without ever throwing more than 100 pitches, according to online game logs.
Talented high school pitchers can be scared away from college baseball, where coaches can risk overworking pitchers in the interest of winning. Sign with a major league team, or so the pitch to teenagers goes, where protective development is the priority.
Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals won the National League Cy Young Award on Wednesday, then endorsed college baseball as the foundation of his development as an elite pitcher.