Joey Watson - High School Ambidextrous Pitcher

Joey Watson, a switch pitcher, was featured in the news during his junior year in High School.

HS School Team: Harselle Tigers (Class of 2003)
Harselle, Alabama

College: Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, Alabama - 2005

Dominant hand: Naturally right-handed
Glove: six finger custom glove with two thumbs

LHP: 83-84 mph fastball; curveball
RHP: 86-87 mph fastball; curveball

His father taught him to throw with both arms when he was five-years-old. Practice throwing a bucket of balls every day. Started switch pitching in games at 10-years-old.

If he is pitching well with one arm he will usually stay with it until he gets tired, then he can switch and fool everyone. According to the coach, nobody notices the switch since he is so smooth.
Averaged 10 strike outs per game. The coach said that his best pitch is the curveball - on both sides.

News feature in 2002

48 WAFF - Double Duty (YouTube)

Fox News feature story (YouTube)

Two armed pitcher (AU Baseball forum)
I trained a ambidextrous pitcher from the time he was 12 years old. He is my best friend's youngest brother and since his dad knew I worked with pitchers, he had me start working with his son. Joey Watson is his name and he pitched at Hartselle High School and then Wallace State Community College (they finished third in the JUCO CWS his sophomore year). He transferred to UAT and was on the team there, but he never got any time on the mound.

His dad had special gloves made for him that would fit both hands, because he could not change gloves in the middle of a batter, so this way he could change arms if he wanted too. However, he very rarely changed arms in the middle of a batter. Most of the time, it was pretty much set which way he was throwing to a particular batter.
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High School Stats - Baseball America, Preseason Top 50 Poll (2003)
19. Hartselle, Ala., HS (39-8). Tigers return their top two pitchers, RHP Tyler Eddy (12-1, 1.47) and LHP/RHP Joey Watson (8-1, 1.91), along with Auburn-bound OF Blake Heym (.455-4-40).

College Stats - Wallace State Community College - Hanceville (2005)
3-1 record, 3.38 ERA, 14 SO in 29.1 innings

Comments

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