What Tread Athletics does

Tread Athletics is a baseball development company founded in 2015 by Ben Brewster and Coan McAlpine that specializes in individualized pitching development for high school, college, and professional athletes. Its core offering is a 12-month, 1:1 remote coaching service that combines biomechanical analysis across 55+ mechanical variables, monthly updated throwing prescriptions, individualized strength and conditioning plans, nutrition guidance, and mental skills training. The service is supported by a 33,000-square-foot headquarters facility in Pineville, North Carolina housing a Qualisys 10-camera markerless motion capture system, TrackMan ball-flight tracking, VALD force plates, Force Frames, and InBody composition scanning. An in-house data analytics department builds proprietary pitch grading models and custom reports that power coaching decisions for every athlete.

The company's go-to-market is hybrid: a content-led community motion (over 750,000 followers, free downloadable programs, blog content, and earned media in ESPN, NY Times, and Washington Post) feeds sales-led intake consultations that convert athletes into long-term coaching engagements. Secondary revenue streams include a $299 Kajabi-hosted digital course (Mental Skills 101), a founder-authored e-book (Building the 95 MPH Body), an e-commerce shop reselling training and recovery equipment under an affiliate partnership with Pocket Radar, and a structured internship pipeline. Tread does not currently serve athletes under age 14 with paid remote coaching but provides free resources and directional guidance to that segment.

Tread claims to have trained more than 1,000 professional players, with documented outcomes including 17 MLB Draft Picks, 48 Signs, 5 Debuts, and 2 All-Stars in the 2025 update, and a 2024 Pro Day that attracted scouts from 28 MLB organizations evaluating 124 athletes. The leadership team includes former MLB pitchers, CSCS/DPT-certified specialists, and analytics-trained staff. The company is privately held and bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding.

Name

Tread Athletics

Legal name

Tread Athletics LLC

Website

https://treadathletics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tread Athletics is a US-based baseball pitching development company offering 12-month, 1:1 remote coaching and in-house training for high school, college, and professional pitchers, combining biomechanical analysis, motion capture, TrackMan analytics, and strength, nutrition, and mental skills programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Baseball Pitching Development Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Strength & Conditioning / Athletic Performance Training (HSADAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Performance Personal Training (HSADAAAF), Online/Remote Personal Training & Programming (HSADAAAM)

Keywords

• Remote pitching coaching
• Baseball velocity training
• Biomechanical analysis
• Strength and conditioning
• Athlete mental training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hickory

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Remote Coaching Services: Core revenue stream from 1:1 remote coaching services for pitchers with a 12-month commitment. Athletes receive ongoing guidance, monthly updated throwing prescriptions, biomechanical evaluations, S&C plans, nutrition guidance, and mental training access. Pricing includes a one-time assessment fee with annual or monthly payment options. Hybrid training options with in-house visits are available at additional cost.
2. Digital Courses - Mental Skills 101: Self-guided online course for pitchers, parents, and pitching coaches covering mental training techniques used by MLB pitchers. Course includes over 30 lessons, 5+ hours of material, over a dozen exercises and worksheets, and a 28-day mental training progression. Sold as instant access for $299 with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. E-books - Building the 95 MPH Body: Book authored by Ben Brewster covering the science and approach to increasing pitching velocity that Tread has used with thousands of athletes and dozens of MLB draft picks. Sold as digital download.
4. Training Equipment & Products: E-commerce store selling training equipment including Pocket Radar Smart Coach, weighted balls, recovery devices (Marc Pro, Voodoo Floss Bands), mobility tools, and arm care products. Ships via USPS with 5-7 business day processing.
5. Internship Program: Various paid and unpaid internship positions at Tread HQ in Charlotte, NC. Data Analytics interns receive $1000/month. Some internships offer training fee waivers for qualified gap year or free agent athletes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Tread Athletics sells individualized, 1:1 remote pitching coaching services to high school, college, and professional baseball pitchers on a 12-month subscription, combining biomechanical analysis, monthly updated throwing prescriptions, strength and conditioning plans, nutrition guidance, mental training, and pitch design. It also sells the Mental Skills 101 online course for $299, the Building the 95 MPH Body e-book, and recommended training equipment through its own e-commerce shop, supported by a free content library of downloadable programs and tools.

Product overview

Tread Athletics operates as a comprehensive baseball pitching development platform combining 1:1 remote coaching services with digital education products. The core offering is their Remote Pitching Coaching Service—a 12-month individualized coaching program for high school, college, and professional pitchers featuring biomechanical analysis, monthly adapted throwing prescriptions, strength and conditioning plans, and nutrition guidance. The company supplements this with Mental Skills 101, a $299 Kajabi-hosted course for mental training. Tread also sells recommended training and recovery equipment including the Pocket Radar Smart Coach, weighted balls, arm care systems, and mobility tools through their product shop. Free resources include downloadable programs for throwing, weight gain, and in-season training, plus a Composite Score tool for athlete benchmarking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Remote Pitching Coaching Service The world's largest 1:1 remote coaching service for pitchers, offering individualized 12-month training programs for high school, college, and professional athletes with one-time assessment fees, monthly adapted throwing prescriptions, strength and conditioning plans, biomechanical analysis, nutrition guidance, and mental training access.
• Mental Skills 101 Step-by-step mental training course for pitchers implementing techniques used by MLB pitchers, including over 30 lessons, 5+ hours of material, a 28-day mental training progression, worksheets, exercises, and a Pitching Personality Profile assessment, priced at $299 with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Building the 95 MPH Body (E-book) Digital e-book by Ben Brewster covering the science and approach to increasing pitching velocity, sold as a digital download to parents, college players, and MLB pitching coaches.
• Pocket Radar Smart Coach Budget-friendly radar gun priced at $399, accurate to within 1 mph of gold-standard devices, connecting via app to iOS devices, measuring 25-130 mph with 120-foot range. Recommended equipment for Tread remote athletes.
• Marv Balls (Weighted Baseballs) Weighted baseballs used in Tread's throwing programs, part of the recommended equipment list for remote athletes.
• Marc Pro (EMS Recovery Device) Electrical muscle stimulation device for recovery and muscle rehabilitation, sold through Tread's product shop.
• ArmCare Shoulder System Shoulder prehab and recovery system designed to prevent arm injuries, part of Tread's arm care product line.
• Crossover Symmetry Hip & Core System Resistance band system for hip and core strengthening used in Tread's training protocols.
• WHOOP Strap Recovery-focused wearable band that tracks strain, recovery, and sleep metrics, recommended for athlete monitoring.
• Khaos Water Balls Water-filled training balls used for specific training protocols at Tread, sold via the product shop.
• Bell Club (Mobility Tool) Mobility tool used in Tread's training and recovery protocols.
• Acumobility Ball Massage and mobility ball used in Tread's recovery and tissue quality improvement protocols.
• Voodoo Floss Bands Compression bands used for mobility and recovery work.
• Exxentric KBOX4 Eccentric training device used for power development in Tread's strength and conditioning programs.
• Exxentric KPULLEY2 Pulley system for eccentric and concentric training used in Tread's athlete development programs.
• Composite Score Tool Free Excel-based tool allowing athletes to compare velocity, strength, and power numbers to other players at their level, generating a total Tread Composite Score based on age and numbers, with training recommendations.
• 4-Week Throwing Program (Free Download) Free 78-page PDF download providing a 4-week plan for implementing weighted balls, long toss, and arm care routines, including both in-season and off-season throwing programs.
• 21-Day Weight Gain Challenge (Free Download) Free 48-page PDF download providing guidance on gaining 3-5 pounds in 21 weeks through simplified weight gain tips, tracking methods, and meal plans without force feeding.
• In-Season Training Blueprint (Free Download) Free 18-page PDF covering in-season training for baseball pitchers including balancing throwing and training, avoiding in-season weight loss, and sample meal plans.
• Catchers' In-House Training Free in-house training at Tread HQ for qualified catchers who catch 8-12 bullpens daily, including access to the 33,000 sq ft facility, Trackman, Hitrax, motion capture technology, physical therapy, and Tread gear.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 professional players trained, with pro teams actively sending players during off-season
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability5 records

Feature13 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MLB Organizations (28 teams)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMLB organizations send players to Tread for off-season development and attend annual Pro Day events at Tread HQ to scout athletes. In 2024, scouts from 28 MLB organizations attended Pro Day where 124 Tread athletes pitched. The relationship is bidirectional as Tread provides development services and gains access to professional-level validation and referrals.
• College Baseball ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege coaches actively send pitchers and recruits to Tread for development. Tread also offers free data consulting to select college programs, providing pitching, hitting, and catching reports. Quote from UNLV Pitching Coach: 'Tread has resources that exceed what any college baseball program can provide.'
• Pocket RadarminorOthersTread recommends and sells Pocket Radar Smart Coach radar guns to athletes. They use the product extensively in their facility and in remote athlete training. Discount code 'TreadBaseball' offered to Tread customers. Tread receives affiliate/referral consideration through product recommendations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• VeloU: VeloU provides remote and in-person velocity training programs for baseball pitchers, leveraging weighted-ball training and digital coaching. Its athlete profile, pricing structure, and remote-delivery model make it a direct comparable to Tread's pitching-coaching subscription offering.
• Driveline Baseball: Driveline Baseball is the leading remote and in-person pitching-development and athletic-performance platform, using motion capture, force plates, and biomechanics for high school, college, and pro pitchers. It is Tread's closest direct competitor, offering overlapping 1:1 remote coaching, velocity programs, and athlete showcases.
• TopVelocity: TopVelocity provides velocity-based pitching and hitting training programs, online courses, and in-person camps focused on increasing throwing speed. Its remote and hybrid delivery model, biomechanics-driven methodology, and content-led acquisition mirror Tread's playbook in the same athlete base.
• 108 Performance: 108 Performance offers remote athletic training programs for baseball and softball athletes, including pitching, hitting, and strength development delivered online. It targets the same high school and college athlete segments as Tread with comparable subscription-based remote coaching.
• Ron Wolforth Pitching (RPP): Ron Wolforth's organization offers Tread-style pitcher development through the Pitching Transformation Program and arm-care certifications, combining in-person and remote coaching. It is one of the established brands in the velocity-development category that Tread competes against for athlete mindshare.
• Texas Baseball Ranch: Texas Baseball Ranch runs high-profile pitching-velocity camps and remote training programs for amateur pitchers, built on weighted-ball methodology. It competes directly with Tread for the same high school and college pitcher customers seeking velocity gains and college scholarships.

Others

• Pocket Radar: Pocket Radar makes the Smart Coach radar gun that Tread recommends and resells to remote athletes. As a commercial partner with an affiliate relationship, Pocket Radar is an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor, but it influences the equipment experience tied to Tread's training programs.
• TrackMan: TrackMan provides the ball-flight tracking and pitch-analytics hardware/software that Tread integrates into its lab and remote athlete programming. While not a coaching competitor, TrackMan is an enabling technology partner whose pricing and feature roadmap materially affect Tread's data-driven service.

Emerging players

• Cressey Sports Performance: Cressey Sports Performance is a well-known baseball and strength-and-conditioning training facility serving professional and amateur athletes with in-person and remote services. It competes for the same high-end baseball athlete segment and has comparable sports-science tooling, though it is more strength-focused than Tread.
• Program 15: Program 15 is a baseball-focused athlete-development brand built around founder Jake Taylor's throwing and hitting programs, offering remote training and digital products. It overlaps with Tread in content-driven acquisition, remote delivery, and pitcher/position-player development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/treadAthletics
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/treadathletics
• Instagraminstagram.com/tread_athletics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tread Athletics