JOURNEY TO THE SHOW:
Nick Margevicius' road to the MLB
Nick Margevicius was one of our original remote athletes, back in 2016. He progressed quickly, dropping from 235 to 220 lbs and from 84-88 MPH touching 90 to 89-92 touching 94. He was drafted in the 7th round and has been making noise in the Padres organization leading into the 2019 season where he just had his first MLB start. Here we sat down with Nick to reflect on his remote training process 2 years ago and the role it played in his development.
Nick after his MLB debut (ig: nmarge25)
What's up Nick? First off, thanks for doing this and congrats on fulfilling your lifelong dream of playing in the MLB. Can you fill people in a little bit on your college background, when you got into pitching, etc?
I started pitching probably when I was 6 or 7. I never really threw hard but I was left handed so I had to pitch. I actually liked hitting more when I was younger. I went to Rider University which is a small division 1 school in the MAAC. I wasn’t highly recruited out of high school and Coach Davis told me I’d have a chance to earn a rotation spot in the fall so I decided to go there.
Nick pitching at Rider University
You weren't exactly on a lot of scouts' radars earlier on in college. What do you think was the turning point for you to start becoming a legitimate prospect?
The turning point was the summer of my freshman year. I had a good summer in the valley and made the all-star game. I hit 90 out of the pen for the second time of my life and that was the first time a scout ever talked to me.
Why did you decide to do remote training? What other options were you considering and what were some of your main hesitations beforehand?
I decided to do remote training because I honestly just didn’t know what to do. We had a decent general strength program at school but there’s 20 teams who use our coach and weight room so more of the training is based on our schedules than actual development. Once I decided I was going to commit myself to getting drafted, I knew I needed a better option. I thought about a few other options but remote training came highly recommended by a close friend of mine which was ultimately the deciding factor.
Describe how your training process changed from what you were doing beforehand, and the level of detail that went into your preparation.
It totally changed it. I was recording all my numbers from week to week and I could actually see how I was getting stronger. I felt better and was actually growing still so it was like the perfect storm for me.
Nick's before and after metrics
Thinking back to working together, nutrition played a key role for you – describe some of the changes you had to make, and how you feel that benefited you on the mound.
Nutrition was #1 for me. I remember counting my macros on that app with every meal. I saw my weight trend line go down steadily as I started to get down to my goal. I was just able to move so much better once I cut a lot of bad weight.
The first two months of Nick's weight tracking charts – he made rapid initial progress with the nutritional adjustments.
What's the single thing (if any) that seemed to help you the most? Did you have an “aha” moment where things suddenly clicked in?
I didn’t really have an “aha” moment it was more of a gradual realization for me. I just realized that I could and would have to just outwork everyone else. There’s not really a secret to it. It sucks sometimes when you roll out of bed feeling like you can’t walk just so you can make it into the gym early when it’s open to crush yourself even more. You have to want to do it, it’s that simple.
Let's talk about your experience in big league camp and finding out you'd be getting your first big league start. How did you find out, and what was that like?
Spring training was great because I got to see how my stuff played against these hitters. I was working on some things and it was a cool first taste of the big leagues for me.
Nick after his MLB debut: “it was incredible” (source)
What was going through your mind during that first inning? And, I have to ask, after you hit your first batter in the nose?
Just make the next pitch that’s all. I thought about what I wanted to throw each hitter and I was thinking about making those pitches. Haha I was surprised I’ve never seen that before but how many guys can say that’s how they started their career?
How has your mindset or training approach continued to evolve as you've climbed your way up the rungs of the minor leagues?
You just have to get a little smarter. I’m listening to my body a little bit more. Recovery has become a lot more important for me especially during the season. All of my workouts I still attack 100% but what that means now is probably a little different than what it meant in college.
Any words of advice to your younger self, or to athletes who find themselves in the same shoes that you were in a couple years ago as a hard working college pitcher who just hadn't figured out how to take that next jump?
Yes get into the gym as early as possible. I wish I would have done more in high school. I tell the guys at Rider this but if you don’t know what to do, it’s not an excuse. Just go do something. You can figure out some strength based lifts and do as much as you can. You don’t need someone to tell you what to do if you really want to get better. Go run, go lift, go throw, go do something. You might get to a point where it gets serious and you’ll need some guidance but until then, just work on something every single day.
Tread Athletics is for those athletes who really want to focus on the next level; whatever that may be. They are going to work with you to detail a month to month plan to reach your goals. If you go this route, it is vital that you follow the nutritional plan as well as the workouts and throwing program because they work together to build your strength. While it may look like I only gained 4 mph, I went from sitting 86-88 fading to 84-86 to sitting 89-92 and maintaining that velocity. I am confident that dedicating myself to the process is what got me into the top 200 in the draft. Don't get caught up in the numbers – put in the work daily and the results will follow. Ben and his team are very accommodating to your needs and abilities. If you're looking for a quick easy fix, then this isn't the program for you. I would say to any high school kid, I just wish i would have started earlier.
You don’t need someone to tell you what to do if you really want to get better. Go run, go lift, go throw, go do something.
Closing thoughts from the editor:
Nick always had a knack for getting batters out, but he knew that throwing into the mid 80's wouldn't make him a top prospect – even as a lefty. He attacked his weaknesses and did what he had to do to give himself a chance. A couple years later, and he's accomplished a dream that few ever get to say they achieved. We couldn't be more proud to continue following his journey.
Not sure where to start? Download our free in-season training guide for a taste, or contact us to chat about our coaching options. If you have any questions, email us at contact@treadathletics.com