As a teenager, I told one of my mentors I still had time. I was young. I figured I had years to gain velocity and become a recruitable prospect. He looked me dead in the eye and said: "Yeah, but that's not going to last long." He was right. Most pitchers start training seriously around 14 or 15. These days, a lot of guys are getting recruited as juniors in high school, around 17. If you're 22 in pro ball these days, you're considered old. The tricky part is that most people around you will tell you the opposite. Coaches and parents say "you've got time, just chill out." And as a result many aspiring athletes with potential to become the best in the world waste their one window. So my advice: You’ve only got one shot at this. Treat your development with some urgency. Figure out what skills the level you want to play at requires. Then spend the next few years closing that gap as efficiently as you can. You're not going to be the young guy for very long.