Hitting a Curveball
Also known as: how to hit a curveball, hitting curveballs, hitting a breaking ball, hitting breaking balls, hitting the curve, hitting a slider, hitting off a curveball
To hit a curveball, pick it up early from the hump and spin out of the pitcher's hand. Keep your weight and hands back, let the ball travel and hit it where it ends up, usually up the middle or the other way. Lay off a curve that starts at the knees. It usually finishes in the dirt.
A curveball spins forward. It drops and often bends toward the pitcher's glove side as it nears the plate. Seeing it early is most of the battle. Many curveballs pop up out of the hand, a 'hump', instead of leaving on a line like a fastball. The seams show a tumbling, top-to-bottom spin. The pitch also looks slower from the moment it leaves the hand. Some pitchers change their arm angle or slow their arm when they throw it.
Most hitters look for the fastball and adjust to the curve. That only works when the load is on time and the stride is soft. The front foot lands with the weight still back, and the hands wait. Keep the front shoulder closed and the head still, and let the ball travel deeper than you would on a fastball. A curve is falling as it arrives. A level or slightly upward swing path matches it better than chopping down at it. Aim to drive it up the middle or to the opposite field. Trying to pull a slow breaking ball tends to cause rolled-over ground balls.
With fewer than two strikes, many hitters take a good curve and wait for one that hangs. A hanger spins but barely breaks and stays up in the zone, and it is a pitch to hit hard. With two strikes, shorten up and protect the plate. To practice, use a breaking-ball pitching machine, front toss with spin or live batting practice. Call out 'curve' or 'fastball' as early as you can, even on pitches you take.
Tips by skill level
In practice, have a coach or machine mix in slow curves and call out 'curve' the moment you see the spin. Only swing at the ones that start up around the belt.
Study the pitcher's curve from the dugout: release height, the hump and the speed gap from the fastball. With fewer than two strikes, hunt the fastball and swing at the curve only when it hangs.
Example
A 14U hitter keeps swinging over curveballs in the dirt. He starts calling out the pitch type from the dugout and in the box. He looks fastball and only swings at curves that start belt-high. Two at-bats later he lets one start at his waist, keeps his hands back and lines it into right-center.
Why it matters
As hitters move up in age, pitchers throw more breaking balls. A hitter who can only hit fastballs sees a steady diet of curves until they show they can lay off them or hit them.
Common mistakes
- Lunging at the curve with the weight already on the front foot
- Chasing curves that start at the knees and finish in the dirt
- Trying to pull every breaking ball and rolling over into weak grounders
- Pulling the head and front shoulder off early to look for the ball
Frequently asked questions
How do I hit a curveball?
Pick it up early from the hump and spin out of the hand, then keep your hands and weight back. Let it travel and hit it where it ends up, usually up the middle or the other way. Lay off curves that start at the knees.
How do I recognize a curveball?
Watch the release. A curveball often pops up out of the hand instead of coming out on a line, and the seams show a top-to-bottom tumble. It also looks slower right away. Calling out the pitch type in practice trains your eyes.
How do I stop swinging at curveballs in the dirt?
Decide on where the pitch starts, not where it ends. A curve that starts at the knees usually ends below them. With fewer than two strikes, only swing at curves that start belt-high or higher.
Is hitting a slider different from hitting a curveball?
The approach is the same: see it early, stay back and hit it where it ends up. A slider is harder and breaks later and more sideways. It looks like a fastball for longer, then breaks late toward the pitcher's glove side.
Related terms
- CurveballThe curveball is an off-speed breaking pitch with topspin that makes it arc downward, often sharply, as it crosses the plate.
- Pitch RecognitionPitch recognition is identifying a pitch's type and location early — out of the pitcher's hand and from spin — so the hitter can commit to a swing or take decision before it's too late to act.
- Two-Strike ApproachA two-strike approach is how a hitter adjusts with two strikes. They shorten the swing, cover more of the strike zone, and put contact ahead of power.
- Backdoor Breaking BallA backdoor breaking ball starts off the plate and breaks back over the outside corner for a called strike. It looks like a ball until the last instant.
- Front Door Breaking BallA front door breaking ball starts at a same-handed batter as if it might hit them. Then it breaks back over the inside corner for a strike.
- Opposite Field HittingOpposite-field hitting drives the ball away from the hitter's dominant-hand side. It means letting the pitch travel deeper and not rushing the swing to pull it.
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