How Saltalamacchia Overcame The Yips
Playing catch is an activity that most people have engaged in at some point in their lives. Throwing a ball back and forth in the backyard is not a difficult task for most.
Why is that some of the most talented ball players, Major Leagues, have difficulty tossing a ball 60.5 feet from home plate back to the pitcher’s mound?
The Yips are the culprit… a mental hiccup that causes players to double clutch, tense up, and overthink basic throws. The hardest part of the yips is admitting the role the mind plays in the yips.
Baseball players readily accept the benefits of rehabbing physical injuries, improving their power by taking extra batting practice or taking extra fielding practice to improve their defense…
But the mental aspects of the game are often viewed as weakness by many players. The reality is that the elite players in Major League Baseball are elite because they have a strong mental game.
Top baseball players know a strong mental game can separate them from the “average” players.
The most effective way to overcome the yips is to strengthen your mental game… That is how catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia overcame his yip problem and improved his game.
Saltalamacchia has enjoyed a nine-year Major League career despite the 5.6 years is the average career length of a MLB player.
Saltalamacchia almost suffered an early exit to his career when he suffered a case of the yips. Saltalamacchia had difficulty with the simplest of tasks… throwing the ball back to the pitcher.
Saltalamacchia’s yips problem started with a shoulder injury but he believes he has overcome his mental block.
SALTALAMACCHIA: “It was a health issue that kind of grew mental, obviously, but I worked on it. I’ve got stuff I go through, but as far as I’m concerned it’s a dead issue… It’s one of those things that through my career I’m going to have to deal with, but I don’t see it being a problem. I don’t think about it.”
Saltalamacchia acknowledged that it was difficult asking for help but eventually elicited the help of a performance coach to strengthen his mental game.
SALTALAMACCHIA: “When I was first coming up, just being young, your ego plays into it. You don’t want anyone to know you’re getting help. But you’re getting help in the training room, why not get help for other issues?”
Overcoming the yips has allowed Saltalamacchia to free up his focus and pay attention to his job as a catcher.
SALTALAMACCHIA: “My job is the pitchers, to go out there and help them get through their game. When I get to the plate, do my job in whatever way the situation calls for.”
Try this important tip to help work through the yips:
Don’t deny the problem, work through the problem.
Seeking the help of a mental game coach is no different than working with a hitting coach to improve your swing, a nutritionist to help with your diet or a strength coach to increase flexibility or power.
Your mental game makes a significant contribution to your throwing freedom and accuracy. The goal of mental coaching for the yips is to free up your throw to regain confidence and accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the yips in baseball?
The article describes the yips as a mental hiccup that causes players to double clutch, tense up and overthink basic throws, even for talented Major League players.
What is the most effective way to overcome the yips?
The article says the most effective way to overcome the yips is to strengthen your mental game. It points to catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who overcame his yips problem and improved his game.
How did Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s yips start?
The article says his yips problem started with a shoulder injury. He said it was a health issue that grew mental, and that he worked on it.
Related Baseball Articles:
- How Daniel Bard Overcame The Yips
- Why Short Toss is the Hardest
- Tuning Out Mental Interference
- How The Yips Have Affected MLB Careers
- Does “Tapping” or EFT Help With The Throwing Yips?
- Baseball Yips FAQ
Get Expert Mental Game Coaching for Yips!
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with personal coaching.
You can work with Peak Performance Sports Team via Zoom, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us at 407-909-1700 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
Last Updated on October 2, 2026
