At-Bat Philosophies to Help Carry your High School Success to the Next Level
By Justin Conner
Based on my personal experiences and work with young athletes who have made the jump from high school baseball to collegiate baseball, I have found the most difficult aspect of the transition is being able to handle the inside fastball on a consistent basis.
Why is this struggle so commonplace for hitters of all pedigrees? Most will say that incoming collegiate freshman just have not seen that type of velocity on a consistent basis at the high school level. I agree but feel that experience alone will not best prepare a high school hitter to handle the next level.
Because the inside hard fastball is so often used as a set-up pitch, as well as an out pitch, it is vital for all hitters to be able to handle it. By handle, I mean be able to catch up to, put a good swing on, and drive. Just like a pitcher who knows he can bust you inside all game, a hitter being able to establish that he can handle the inside fastball sets himself up for success in his next couple of at-bats in the game; as he can most likely sit on outside pitches from that point on. From being able to go the other way with off-speed pitches, to pitch recognition, there is plenty to continue to develop as a hitter who is preparing for collegiate baseball. The inside hard fastball has turned great high school hitters into average collegiate ones. Here are some essentials to implement into your at-bat training routines:
- Stray away from having too wide of a stance as this slows down hip rotation and is a key ingredient for a slow swing, essentially leading to jamming yourself.
- Practice getting your timing down in regard to your stride. As you know, everything after your load phase is sped up on the inside fastball so recognizing when you need to get going is the first big step. Again, it’s not just about being able to catch up to it; you need to be able to handle it.
- Work on getting your hands through the zone, open up the hips, make sure you back leg is “squashing the bug”, and keep that lead arm (left arm for right handed hitters) bent up to contact with the ball.
Hopefully these philosophies will help you become a better hitter and ease the transition to collegiate baseball.
