Part 1 | Adam Ottavino on Mentors, Mistakes & Making the Majors

On this episode of Dirt From the Dugout, Karl Ravech and Justin Musil welcome former big-league reliever Adam Ottavino, who pitched for the Rockies, Yankees, Mets, and more over a 15-year career. Ottavino breaks down just how unhittable modern pitching has become, pointing to the explosion in repertoire size, pitch design, and sheer volume of arms hitters now face. He traces his own path from a Brooklyn kid obsessed with emulating big leaguers in Wiffle ball games to a late physical bloomer who got DH'd for as a high school freshman second baseman, through the growth spurt at 15 that finally let his skill catch up to his body. Ottavino opens up about the mentors and tough-love coaches who shaped him, the advice that convinced him to turn down signing out of high school in favor of Northeastern, and how playing up against older, more advanced competition in New York's travel ball scene toughened him for the grind ahead. Join our growing community today!https://theparentdugout.com/  Subscribe to the podcast!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dirt-from-the-dugout/id1895617382 https://open.spotify.com/show/0TYMMgoNypFpff5xMkBI98  Follow our social media channels for more content!https://x.com/dirtfromthedugSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.