Simeon Woods Richardson Stopped Reaching and Found New Heights

Simeon Woods Richardson has practiced meditation since 2021, the year the Toronto Blue Jays traded him and Austin Martin to the Minnesota Twins for José Berríos. He says meditation reduces his stress and anxiety and centers him, allowing him to stay in the moment.

Woods Richardson “went down a little rabbit hole” last off-season, learning breathing techniques he can use to stay calm on the mound. He uses a 3-4-7 technique before games, breathing in for three seconds, holding his breath for four, and exhaling for seven.

“People get caught up on not being in the present, and that’s what meditation does for me, it keeps me in the present moment,” Woods Richardson said in 2023. “Not to get too ahead of myself, you can’t dwell on the past. Today’s today, let’s be better today, so let’s find something to achieve today. Let’s find something to work on, and you could see the progression of work getting better and better day by day.”

Woods Richardson has captured the moment this year. He started the season as Minnesota’s seventh starter. However, Anthony DeSclafani suffered a season-ending arm injury in Spring Training, and Louie Varland started the season with a 9.18 ERA in four starts. The Twins called Woods Richardson up on April 13, and he’s elevated himself to Minnesota’s third starter and is in line to start a playoff game.

Woods Richardson has produced a +1.55 win probability added (WPA) as a rookie this season, second only to Francisco Liriano’s +2.77 in 2006. WPA quantifies the percent change in a team's chances of winning from one event to the next. Outside of Liriano and Woods Richardson, no Twins rookie has produced a WPA over +1.50 in team history.

In 2022 and 2023, Woods Richardson lost velocity on his fastball, and his prospect stock subsequently dropped. However, Woods Richardson flashed newfound velocity in Spring Training this year. A year after averaging 90.4 mph on his four-seam fastball, he improved his mechanics and was topping out at 97.

Woods Richardson’s arm slot was his biggest mechanical change. He went from throwing over the top to 77 degrees. Instead of reaching over his head, the three-quarters slot allowed his better mechanics to drive velocity on the baseball. He also activated his glutes instead of his calves by pushing off his entire foot instead of his toes.

After making the mechanical changes, Woods Richardson is averaging 93.1 mph on his four-seamer and has increased the spin rate. He has also increased the velocity on his slider from 83.1 mph last season to 86.7 mph this year, turning it into his second-best pitch.

“In modern-day baseball, you see more things that maybe you weren’t totally expecting,” Rocco Baldelli said after Woods Richardson’s Aug. 10 start against the Cleveland Guardians, where he only gave up two runs in seven innings.

“You’re never going to expect a guy, coming in, year over year, seeing pitches that are six or seven miles an hour harder than they were the year before. But we have ways that guys can improve and focus on things and make real mechanical adjustments. And Sim did that. Sim had a tremendous offseason.”

Woods Richardson’s four-seamer has produced a +7 Run Value, and his slider +5. However, his curveball is only +1, and he needs to work on his changeup (-5). Still, it’s a meaningful improvement for a player who could have fallen out of Minnesota’s plans if he had struggled this season.

The Twins needed a young pitcher to step up when Varland struggled at the beginning of the season, and Woods Richardson made the most of his moment. He’s pitched so well that he’s a viable candidate to make a playoff start in Joe Ryan’s place following his injury. Instead of reaching, Woods Richardson found success by staying in the moment.