Hitting Drills: Sit On A Pitch Drill

Focus To teach hitters to sit on certain pitches in certain situations.

Setup A coach works with individual hitters. Set up home plate at one end of the cage, with a pitching screen 45 feet away. The coach prepares to throw a variety of fastballs, curveballs, change-ups, and other pitches.

Procedure The coach tells the hitter which pitch he’s looking to hit. If the coach calls out, “Fastball,” the hitter swings only at fastballs thrown in the strike zone. The coach then randomly throws all type of pitches. The hitter should take any off-speed pitches, looking only for the fastball. When the coach calls out “Curveball,” the hitter adjusts his timing and sights to hit a curveball. Now he takes any fastballs or change-ups.

Coaching Points One reason experienced hitters are more consistent is that they know what to look for in each situation. This drill teaches discipline in choosing which pitches to swing on and which to lay off of. When facing pitching at the highest level, hitters must develop certain strategies. They learn that by taking away other pitches, the pitch they’re sitting on becomes easier to hit. Adjusting timing to a given pitch allows for consistency and decreases the chances of being fooled. All pitchers fall into patterns. As a hitter gains confidence in identifying pitches, he’ll learn to think along with the pitchers. If he gets a pitch he doesn’t like, he’ll take it with less than two strikes. Most great hitters take this approach. An example is a hitter who with less than two strikes swings only at fastballs. This drill allows hitters to work on that strategy.

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