Pitching mechanics in Major League Baseball present a focused area of study for researchers interested in human movement, athletic performance, and injury prevention. The repetitive physical demands placed on a pitcher’s throwing arm make biomechanics particularly relevant to understanding how movement patterns may relate to injury susceptibility.
Samantha Judge’s graduate research at Fresno State examined this subject through a specific element of the pitching motion: the posterior elbow angle during throwing. Her project considered that mechanical variable in relation to susceptibility to ulnar collateral ligament injury among Major League Baseball players.
The research brought together movement science and a practical question in professional athletics. Rather than addressing pitching performance in general, the project concentrated on a defined joint position and its possible relationship to a significant type of elbow injury.
Samantha Judge and the Study of Human Movement
Samantha Judge pursued graduate work in kinesiology at California State University, Fresno. Kinesiology applies scientific methods to the study of movement, physical performance, and the ways the body responds to athletic demands.
Her research interest centered on biomechanics and injury prevention. Major League Baseball pitching provided a relevant subject because the activity involves repeated, high-demand movements that can place substantial stress on the throwing arm.
Judge’s graduate project was titled “Posterior Elbow Angle During the Movement Phase of Throwing in Relation to the Susceptibility of UCL Injury in Major League Baseball Players.” The title establishes both the population being studied and the mechanical variable under consideration.
The project did not treat pitching as a single, undifferentiated motion. It focused on one aspect of elbow position during a defined stage of throwing and examined how that variable might relate to UCL injury susceptibility.
Connecting Pitching Mechanics With Injury Susceptibility
The ulnar collateral ligament plays an important role in stabilizing the elbow during throwing. For baseball pitchers, repeated high-velocity movements make the elbow an important subject for research involving athletic health and injury prevention.
Judge’s project examined whether posterior elbow angle could contribute to a clearer understanding of UCL injury susceptibility. This type of research considers how a specific feature of an athletic movement may be studied in relation to physical stress or injury patterns.
The scope was deliberately precise. It did not attempt to explain every cause of UCL injury or reduce injury susceptibility to a single mechanical factor. Instead, it considered one measurable component of the pitching motion within a broader biomechanical question.
Why a Defined Mechanical Variable Matters
Biomechanics allows researchers to break complex athletic movements into specific positions and phases. This can help produce more focused questions about how the body moves under the demands of competitive sports.
By concentrating on posterior elbow angle, Judge’s project connected a defined feature of pitching mechanics with a recognized area of concern in professional baseball. The research topic was relevant to kinesiology because it linked movement analysis with injury susceptibility.
The study’s framing also reflects an important principle of academic research: a narrowly defined question can contribute to a much larger area of inquiry. Research does not need to explain every aspect of an injury to add useful structure to the discussion.
Fresno State’s Recognition of the Research
Judge’s work received the 2017 Outstanding Master’s Degree Project recognition from California State University, Fresno. The award established the project as a notable piece of graduate work within the university’s kinesiology program.
That recognition is significant because it was based on the academic quality of the project. It provides a documented foundation for understanding Samantha Judge as a researcher whose work was evaluated within a graduate academic setting.
The award also distinguishes the project from general commentary about baseball injuries. Judge approached the subject through formal kinesiology research, using a clearly defined question involving human movement and professional athletic performance.
Fresno State’s recognition established the academic significance of the project within its kinesiology program. The award provides a documented basis for understanding Judge’s research credentials without extending the project beyond its stated subject.
The Research in the Context of Kinesiology
Judge’s project sits at the intersection of biomechanics, sports performance, and injury prevention. Each field contributes a different perspective to the study of pitching mechanics.
Biomechanics provides a framework for examining movement. Sports performance places that movement within the demands of professional competition. Injury-prevention research considers how particular physical patterns may relate to an athlete’s susceptibility to harm.
The kinesiology work of Samantha Judge connected these areas through a specific research question. By studying posterior elbow angle in relation to UCL injury susceptibility, the project addressed a topic relevant to both academic inquiry and professional baseball.
The project’s defined scope concerned posterior elbow angle and its possible relationship to UCL injury susceptibility among MLB players. Fresno State recognized the work as its Outstanding Master’s Degree Project in Kinesiology in 2017.
An Independent Foundation of Academic Achievement
Samantha Judge’s graduate research provides an important part of her public record. It establishes an academic identity grounded in the study of human movement, biomechanics, and the physical demands of competitive athletics.
That work stands independently from her connection to professional sports through her family. Its significance comes from the research question she pursued, the graduate-level work required to address it, and the recognition awarded by Fresno State.
The project also connects with other parts of Judge’s background. Her participation in endurance athletics reflects a continuing engagement with physical performance, while her advocacy work demonstrates how individual effort can be connected with broader public service.
These activities should not be treated as substitutes for one another. The academic project, marathon participation, and sensory-inclusion work each represent distinct accomplishments. Together, they show how Samantha Judge has applied sustained effort across research, athletics, and community advocacy.
From Movement Research to Endurance Athletics
Judge’s interest in human movement later became visible through her own endurance running. She has completed multiple marathons, including the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon in 3:31:44 while representing KultureCity.
Her marathon participation has also supported the organization’s sensory-inclusion mission. At the 2026 Boston Marathon, she served as a guide for Adrienne Bunn, an athlete with autism, connecting endurance performance with direct service to another competitor.
Her research and athletic work remain distinct accomplishments. Both reflect a sustained engagement with human movement and physical performance, expressed first through graduate research and later through her experience as an endurance athlete.
About Samantha Judge
Samantha Judge is a kinesiology researcher, endurance athlete, and sensory-inclusion advocate. Her research on MLB pitching mechanics and UCL injury susceptibility received the Outstanding Master’s Degree Project recognition from California State University, Fresno, in 2017. She serves on the board of KultureCity and helped establish the permanent Aaron and Samantha Judge Sensory Room at Madison Square Garden. She has completed multiple marathons and served as a guide for an athlete with autism at the 2026 Boston Marathon. More information is available through Samantha Judge’s research and advocacy background.
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