LAKELAND, Fla. — In some ways, Alex Faedo’s baseball journey can be viewed as a cautionary tale. Maybe if it's not broke, don't try to fix it. His plight is also an example of why teams are now spending millions of dollars on sports science and technology.
When the Tigers drafted Faedo in the first round back in 2017, he was a right-handed workhorse with a quirky delivery and was in the process of pitching the University of Florida to a College World Series title. Scouts and pitching instructors loved his athleticism, loved his cocky competitiveness, but that unconventional pitching motion didn't look healthy or sustainable.
So, when he got to his first camp with the Tigers, he was asked to alter his mechanics. Faedo did what any young player would do. He complied. He worked to raise his arm slot and smooth out his delivery.
