Splitter / Forkball
Also known as: split-finger fastball, split, forkball
The splitter is an off-speed pitch gripped with the fingers spread across the seams, producing late diving action that generates weak contact or swings below the zone.
Gripping the ball wide between the index and middle fingers reduces spin and creates tumbling, late-dropping action. The splitter looks like a fastball for most of its flight and then falls sharply in the last few feet, often landing below the strike zone. It is harder on the elbow than most pitches due to the wide finger spread and is generally considered an advanced pitch taught only after a pitcher has mature arm strength. The forkball is a more extreme version of the same concept.
Example
The splitter dove out of the strike zone at the last instant and the clean-up hitter buckled his knees chasing it.
Related terms
- Changeup (Pitching)The changeup is an off-speed pitch thrown with fastball arm speed but held deeper in the hand to reduce velocity by 8–15 mph, disrupting timing.
- Induced Vertical Break (IVB)Induced vertical break is the vertical movement a pitch achieves purely from spin, measured against a hypothetical spinless ball — isolating the Magnus effect from gravity.
- Pitching DeceptionPitching deception refers to any element of a pitcher's mechanics, grip, or delivery that delays or confuses the hitter's ability to identify the pitch type, speed, or location.
- Release PointRelease point is the precise spatial location in front of the body where the pitcher lets go of the ball — consistency here is the foundation of command.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.