Hitting Low Pitches
Also known as: hitting low pitches, how to hit a low pitch, hit low pitches, topping low pitches, low pitch at the knees, hitting the low strike, low and away pitch
To hit a low pitch, bend more at the hips and tilt the shoulders so the barrel can match the ball's path. Do not drop the hands or reach down with the arms. Topping low pitches usually means the chest stood up or the barrel came in steep. Many coaches teach letting a low pitch travel a little deeper before contact.
A pitch at the knees sits well below the hands at setup. The body has to lower the barrel's path to meet it. Good hitters do this with posture. They add side bend so the back shoulder drops and the bat tilts more vertically. The hands stay above the ball.
Topped balls and weak grounders on low pitches have a few common causes. The chest pops up early and lifts the barrel. The arms reach and the barrel arrives steep. Or the hitter swings at a pitch below the zone that cannot be driven. A low strike is not the same as a pitch in the dirt.
Practice with a tee set at the knees and slightly back in the stance. Aim for line drives, not grounders. Hold your finish to check that your posture stayed. In games, many hitters lay off low pitches early in the count and only expand the zone with two strikes.
Tips by skill level
Set a tee at your knees and hit line drives. Hold your finish and check that your chest stayed down.
Compare side video of high and low pitches. The low-pitch swing should show more side bend and a more vertical bat angle with the same head height.
Example
A 14-year-old keeps rolling over pitches at the knees. His coach sets a low tee a few inches deeper than usual. He bends at the hips and keeps his chest down through contact. His low-pitch contact turns into line drives to the middle of the field.
Why it matters
Pitchers live at the bottom of the zone. A hitter who can drive the low strike takes away one of their best spots.
Common mistakes
- Dropping the hands to reach the ball
- Standing up through contact
- Swinging at pitches below the zone early in the count
- Trying to lift low pitches with a big uppercut
Frequently asked questions
How do I hit low pitches without topping them?
Bend at the hips and tilt your shoulders instead of dropping your hands. Keep your chest down through contact. Many coaches also teach letting the low pitch get a little deeper.
Should I swing at low pitches?
Swing at low strikes you can drive. Lay off pitches below the knees early in the count. With two strikes, protect the bottom of the zone.
How do I hit a low and away pitch?
Let it travel deeper and drive it toward the opposite field. Keep your front shoulder closed and bend at the hips so the barrel stays on the ball's path.
Related terms
- Hitting Posture and Side BendHitting posture is the forward tilt from the hips plus the side bend of the spine that sets the swing plane. Hitters bend more toward the plate for low pitches and stay flatter on high ones. Losing that posture by standing up or collapsing pulls the barrel off the ball's path.
- Strike ZoneThe strike zone is the three-dimensional region over home plate where a pitch must pass to be called a strike. Under MLB rules it runs from just below the kneecap up to the midpoint between the batter's shoulders and the top of the uniform pants.
- Dropping the Back ShoulderDropping the back shoulder is a fault where the rear shoulder tilts down during the swing. It steepens the bat path and often causes an uppercut and pop-ups.
- On-Plane SwingAn on-plane swing travels along the incoming pitch's flight path through the hitting zone. This keeps the barrel and ball aligned for a longer window and converting timing errors into contact rather than misses.
- Chase RateChase rate is the percentage of pitches thrown outside the strike zone that a hitter swings at. A core plate-discipline metric where lower is almost always better.
- Contact Point (Batting)Contact point is where the bat meets the ball, relative to the body and plate. It shifts with pitch location, and a fixed one is a common cause of weak contact.
Related guides & benchmarks
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