Quick Pitch
Also known as: quick pitching
A quick pitch is a pitcher delivering the ball before the batter is set and ready in the box — an attempt to catch the hitter off guard that is illegal at most levels of play.
Rules at nearly every level require the pitcher to give the batter a reasonable chance to get set before the delivery begins; a quick pitch violates that expectation, usually by abbreviating or skipping the pause between receiving the sign and starting the motion while the hitter is still settling in the box. With runners on base, a quick pitch is ruled a balk; with the bases empty, it is typically called a ball on the batter rather than a balk, since there is no runner to protect.
Because it is rarely legal and even more rarely worth the risk, quick pitching is uncommon at higher levels of organized baseball, though it occasionally appears at lower levels or in youth ball where umpires and hitters are less attuned to timing. Some pitchers use a legal, faster-than-usual tempo (working quickly between pitches) to disrupt a hitter's rhythm without crossing into an actual quick pitch violation — the distinction is whether the batter had a fair opportunity to get set, not simply how fast the pitcher works.
Example
The reliever attempted a quick pitch as the hitter was still adjusting his back foot in the box; the umpire ruled it illegal and awarded a ball.
Why it matters
Understanding the line between a legal fast tempo and an illegal quick pitch helps pitchers use pace as a legitimate weapon without drawing penalties.
Common mistakes
- Confusing a legal fast working tempo with an actual quick pitch, drawing an avoidable penalty for a motion that started before the batter was reasonably set
- Attempting a quick pitch with runners on base without realizing it is scored as a balk rather than simply a ball
- Relying on the tactic repeatedly once an umpire has already flagged it, rather than adjusting to a legal quick tempo instead
Frequently asked questions
Is a quick pitch ever legal?
No — rules at essentially every level require the batter to be given a fair chance to be set before the delivery begins. A pitcher can work quickly between pitches, but cannot start the delivery before the batter is reasonably ready.
Related terms
- BalkA balk is an illegal or deceptive motion by the pitcher while runners are on base, immediately awarding every runner one base without a pitch needing to be thrown.
- Windup vs. StretchThe windup and the stretch are the two legal pitching positions — the full windup, used mainly with the bases empty for maximum power, and the stretch, a shorter, quicker delivery used with runners on to control the running game.
- Pitch SequencingPitch sequencing is the art of ordering pitches to exploit a hitter's tendencies and set up future offerings — making each pitch more effective because of what came before.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.
See a sample Baseball report first