RJ Petit burst onto the scene last season (2021) after sitting low to mid 90s for Charleston Southern University, posting a 2.79 ERA in 84 IP and being selected in Big South Baseball First Team All-Conference.
RJ joined us shortly after finishing his season and made quick progress, touching 97.3 in a pen and further developing his change up.
After getting drafted by the Detroit Tigers this July (14th Round), we asked him to take us through his journey to getting signed.
Briefly fill in our readers about your journey in pitching before joining Tread.
I was playing baseball at 3 with my dad flipping balls for me to hit.
I was honestly a better hitter than pitcher growing up. But pitching slowly took over the older I got and I ended up enjoying it more than hitting so I decided to put more of my time into it.
Fast forward to high school and I was pretty good my first few years but it was nothing too special and I hadn't had any exposure to college coaches.
After my junior year, I knew I wanted to play college ball but that door was closing fast with my fastball only around 83-85.
I decided to get on a Velo program and played that summer for the Canes. Through that exposure and working hard on my velo program, I received multiple offers that summer and committed to Charleston Southern.
What made you decide to reach out to Tread?
I decided to reach out to Tread after one of my close friends on my team told me about Tread and what they had to offer.
I thought it was a really good idea and Tread happened to only be 15 minutes from my house in Rock Hill, SC so it worked out perfectly.
I believed Tread could help me sharpen my breaking pitches and get a better feel for them by using different technologies. These tools would give me a better idea of what I'm doing and give me new ways to sharpen my arsenal.
Give us an idea of a few of your before/after metrics.
From working with Tread for such a short period of time, only a few months, I have made immense strides in my game. My fastball pen velocity has gone up about 2.5 from my previous PR, my slider before was anywhere from 81-84 in game, to averaging 85-87 now.
My changeup made the biggest improvement, not only in velocity, but consistency.
I never had confidence in my changeup but once I got to work and began using the slow-motion video and Trackman, I could actually see what I was doing up close and make the changes which clicked for me mentally.
Describe a low point in your training process and how you overcame it.
For me, I try not to have low points while I train or compete. I have accepted that there are going to be times that I am not at my best and those times can last for an extended amount of time. I continuously tell myself to not ride the waves.
My goal has always been to make those waves as small as possible. I try not to ride the highs too high or the lows too low, keep going at the same intensity, focus everyday and not get caught up in the successes and failures.
What are some of the most impactful changes you made over the past year to your training approach?
I have accepted over the years that I am not the best at everything.
I'm probably never going to be the strongest, or the most mobile, or the fastest guy. I've accepted that, and in doing so, I can focus on myself.
Too many people try to compare themselves to someone else and that just isn't healthy because no two people are the same. If i can work on the things and get better at what I'm lacking in, the growth can be incredible.
The next thing I changed is not in my training specifically, but what I do outside of training and competing to maximize those activities.
Making sure I am putting the right things in my body, staying hydrated, and getting enough sleep have just as much if not more of an impact on your development than just training hard everyday.
These changes I think come with time and maturity and also fully understanding what it takes to compete at the highest levels.
What is something you still struggle with?
I still struggle with positive thoughts at times.
I expect a lot from myself and sometimes beat myself up when I don't do something how I want to. I don't give myself any slack which is good because I hold myself to a certain standard.
The reality of it though is that I'm not always going to be at peak performance and that it is okay to not be perfect, and just to work with what you got on any given day.
I have gotten much better at this and it really is a tightrope of finding when to cut yourself some slack because you're a human and things won't always be how you want them to be.
What is one piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
One piece I would give to my younger self and any younger kid, is to just flat out enjoy it. I've been blessed to play this game, and now I get paid to play a kids game.
I can't ask for much more, and I think that stems from enjoying all the little things. Cherish all the friendships you make and the memories you have.
I have seen so many friends and teammates fall out of love with the game because things don't go their way or even because of a coach.
Feed off the love for the game and enjoy the process and where this game can take you.
What is one thing people don’t realize about Tread from the outside looking in? What surprised you?
One thing I think people don't realize about Tread is that their goal isn't to just get you to throw crazy hard.
That's obviously an outcome that people want to get from it, and you will if you stick to your plan. Every single program made is different.
There is no cookie-cutter plan that everyone has. Tread takes a look into your deficiencies and the coaches find ways to improve these areas. As a result, your numbers will go up, your secondary pitches will see growth as well.
It's not just slamming plyo balls and building arm strength. It's about getting the body into a position to move efficiently which in turn makes you throw harder and become a better pitcher.
[Tread is] not just about slamming plyo balls….it's about getting the body into a position to move efficiently.
Closing thoughts from his coach Devin Hayes:
Working with RJ in house leading up to the draft we didn't want to make too many major changes.
Taking a look at his assessment and training history, our focus was on fine tuning the things he already did well.
A major focus was throwing his slider harder, without sacrificing movement.
Aside from his baseball skill, RJ immediately became a big presence at Tread HQ from the moment he walked in the gym.
Whether it was saying hello to each athlete and coach as he walked in or with his pre-throw juggling routine, RJ is someone other people want to be around.
As a coach I am lucky to work with RJ, and Tread is lucky to call RJ one of its athletes.
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