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Baseball Glossary
Learn the language of Baseball — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
132 terms
- Hitting Line DrivesIntermediateTo hit more line drives, meet the ball squarely through its middle on a slightly upward bat path. Statcast counts a batted ball launched at 10 to 25 degrees as a line drive. Good timing, a barrel that matches the pitch plane and an approach aimed up the middle produce most of them.
- Hitting Low PitchesIntermediateTo 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.
- Hitting Posture and Side BendIntermediateHitting 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.
- Hitting SlumpIntermediateTo get out of a hitting slump, simplify. Whether you are striking out or making weak outs, judge each at-bat by hard contact and good swing decisions instead of hits. Check one or two basics such as timing and pitch selection rather than rebuilding the swing. If you are still hitting the ball hard, keep your approach.
- Illegal Bat PenaltyIntermediateUsing an illegal bat makes the batter out. Under NFHS high school rules, the batter is out once he enters the box with one, and the head coach is restricted to the dugout on a first offense. Under MLB rules, a batter using an altered bat, such as a corked or grooved one, is out and ejected.
- Isolated Power (ISO)IntermediateIsolated power (ISO) measures a hitter's extra-base power: slugging percentage minus batting average. You can also figure it as doubles plus twice the triples plus three times the home runs, divided by at-bats. In MLB, about .140 is league average, .200 is great and .250 is excellent.
- Jump (Stolen Base)IntermediateThe jump on a stolen base attempt is how quickly and decisively a runner breaks toward the next base on the pitcher's first movement — the single biggest predictor of stolen base success.
- Knob to the Ball (Hitting Cue)Intermediate"Knob to the ball" is a cue to start the swing by pointing the knob of the bat at the ball. It keeps the hands inside and the swing short, so it can help a hitter who casts. Taken too literally, it can leave the barrel dragging and late. Many coaches now pair it with a cue to turn the barrel.
- Launch Angle (Batting)IntermediateLaunch angle in batting is the vertical angle the ball leaves the bat. Roughly 10–25° produces the hardest, most productive contact.
- Launch Position (Hitting)IntermediateLaunch position is where your body and hands are at the moment the swing starts forward. It often comes at about the time the front foot lands. Your hands are back near the back shoulder, your weight is loaded into the back hip and your head is steady. A good launch position lets the swing fire on time without extra moves.
- Leg KickIntermediateA leg kick lifts the front knee high during the load to build rhythm and stored energy. It is a bigger, riskier trigger than a toe tap or no-stride approach.
- Line Drive RateIntermediateLine drive rate (LD%) is the share of batted balls that are line drives, launched at 10 to 25 degrees in Statcast's definition. Liners have the highest expected batting average.
- Linear vs Rotational HittingIntermediateNeither is better on its own. Good swings use both: a short move toward the pitcher, then a strong turn of the hips and shoulders. "Linear" teaching stresses the forward weight shift, while "rotational" teaching stresses the turn. Most coaches today teach a forward move that feeds rotation.
- Long Toss ProgramIntermediateA long toss program is a planned throwing routine for arm strength and conditioning. Players gradually throw well past game distance, then work back down.
- Max vs Average Exit VelocityIntermediateCare about both, for different reasons. Max exit velocity shows your top-end power, the hardest you can hit a ball. Average exit velocity shows how often you make solid contact, but every weak ball drags it down. Statcast's EV50, the average of your hardest half of batted balls, is a common middle ground.
- Mental Skills for Hitters (Visualization, Breathing, Self-Talk)IntermediateVisualization can help hitting when it is used as part of practice, not instead of it. Many hitters picture the pitcher's release, the ball's flight and their own on-time swing before an at-bat. Pair it with a calm breath, a short cue word and a reset routine between pitches to manage nerves and stay focused.
- No-Stride ApproachIntermediateA no-stride approach keeps the front foot planted, triggering the swing with hands and hips alone. It trades a little rhythm for simpler, more reliable timing.
- Offseason and In-Season Hitting PlanIntermediateAn offseason hitting plan builds strength, bat speed and any swing changes while there are no games. An in-season plan keeps the swing sharp with less volume and more game-like work. Many programs take a short rest after the season, then build from tee and strength work toward live pitching before spring.
- On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS)IntermediateOPS is a hitting stat that adds on-base percentage and slugging percentage. It combines reaching base and hitting for power in one number.
- Opposite Field HittingIntermediateOpposite-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.
- Over-Striding and Under-StridingIntermediateOver-striding is a step toward the pitcher so long that the head drops, the eyes change level and the hips cannot turn freely. Under-striding is a step so short or late that the hitter swings with only the arms. Many coaches judge it by whether the head stays quiet and the front foot lands on time, not by a set length.
- Overload/Underload Bat TrainingIntermediateOverload/underload training means swinging implements heavier and lighter than your game model over several weeks to build swing speed. Studies with baseball players have found speed gains from programs that mix the two with normal swings. Most programs stay close to game weight. Young players should use light loads, low volume and adult supervision.
- Palm Up, Palm Down (Contact Position)IntermediatePalm up, palm down describes your hands at contact. The top hand's palm faces up toward the sky, and the bottom hand's palm faces down toward the ground. It means your wrists have not rolled yet, so the barrel stays behind the ball and drives through it.
- Pickoff MoveIntermediateA pickoff move is a pitcher's legal throw (or step) toward a base with a runner on. It is aimed at catching that runner off the bag before a pitch is thrown.
- Pitch MixIntermediateA pitcher's pitch mix is the combination and proportion of pitch types thrown — for example 55% fastball, 20% slider, 15% changeup, 10% curveball — and how that mix shifts by count and batter.
- Pitch RecognitionIntermediatePitch 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.
- Pitch Timer and Batter TimeoutsIntermediateIn MLB, a batter gets one timeout per plate appearance. Under the pitch timer, he must also be in the box and alert to the pitcher by the 8-second mark, or he is charged an automatic strike. In leagues without a timer, the umpire decides when to grant time, and never once the pitcher starts his windup or comes set.
- Plate DisciplineIntermediatePlate discipline is the ability to tell balls from strikes and swing only at pitches a hitter can do damage on. It is the core mental skill of hitting.
- Platoon SplitIntermediateA platoon split is the difference in how a hitter does against same-handed and opposite-handed pitchers. Most hitters do better against pitchers who throw from the other side. A same-side pitcher's ball is harder to pick up out of the hand, and the slider shows the biggest gap of any pitch. Managers use this to platoon hitters, and it is the main reason switch hitters exist.
- Player Development PlanIntermediateA player development plan is a written, individual outline of a player's current skill level, priorities, and checkpoints. It replaces a generic practice routine.
- Productive OutIntermediateA productive out is an out that still helps the team. It might advance a runner, score a run, or move a runner into scoring position.
- Projectable FrameIntermediateA projectable frame is a lean, usually tall young body with room to add strength and size. Scouts expect that growth to bring power, velocity, or bat speed.
- Pull Side HittingIntermediatePull-side hitting drives the ball to left field for a right-handed batter, or to right field for a left-handed batter. It comes from early contact and usually carries the most power.
- Push Bunt (Baseball)IntermediateIn baseball, a push bunt is a bunt you send firmly past the pitcher instead of deadening it. Show the bat late, then firm your arms and steer the ball toward the hole on the right side of the mound. It works best when the corner infielders charge hard or the defense plays deep.
- Reading a HopIntermediateReading a hop is judging early where a ground ball's bounce will arrive. The fielder can then set footwork and glove angle before the ball gets there, not after.
- Recruiting Metrics and Video for HittersIntermediateThe numbers most often measured for hitters are exit velocity, 60-yard dash time and throwing velocity from your position. Showcases such as Perfect Game time the 60 with lasers and radar every throw from the infield, outfield and catcher's spot. Coaches use those numbers alongside video and game performance.
- Relay ThrowIntermediateA relay throw breaks one impossible outfield throw into two makeable ones. An infielder runs out to take the first leg, then turns and throws the second.
- Release PointIntermediateRelease 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.
- Rolling OverIntermediateRolling over is a swing fault where the top hand rotates over the bottom hand too early. It closes the barrel through contact, causing weak pull-side grounders.
- Rotational HittingIntermediateRotational hitting is a swing model powered mainly by hip and torso rotation, not forward weight shift. It is the dominant power model in modern baseball.
- Scouting Report (Player)IntermediateA scouting report is a written evaluation of a player. It grades their tools, describes current skill and physical projection, and gives a future outlook.
- Secondary LeadIntermediateThe secondary lead is the movement a baserunner takes as the pitch crosses the plate. A walking step or shuffle that adds momentum toward the next base the moment contact is made.
- Short HopIntermediateA short hop is a ball caught the instant it rises off the dirt. It is usually the most reliable point of the bounce, since the ball has had no room to deviate.
- Showcase EventIntermediateAt a showcase event, players all do the same drills and tests for college recruiters or pro scouts. It is separate from any regular game.
- Sitting on a Pitch (Hunting a Fastball)IntermediateSitting on a pitch means looking for one pitch type or location and swinging only if you get it. Many hitters sit on the fastball early in the count and take anything else. It works best when the count favors the hitter or the pitcher has a pattern. With two strikes, most hitters widen their plan.
- Situational HittingIntermediateSituational hitting is matching a hitter's approach to the count, outs, and runners. Swing decisions, target, and aggressiveness change rather than staying fixed.
- Slash Bunt (Fake Bunt and Swing)IntermediateA slash, or fake bunt and swing, is when a hitter shows bunt to pull the infield in, then pulls the bat back and takes a short, chopping swing. The goal is to hit the ball hard on the ground past the charging corner infielders. It works best when the defense is sure a sacrifice bunt is coming.
- SliderIntermediateThe slider is a breaking ball with lateral movement and some downward tilt, faster than a curveball and usually sharper in its late break.
- Spray AngleIntermediateSpray angle is the horizontal direction the ball travels off the bat — pull side, up the middle, or opposite field — determined by when in the swing the barrel meets the ball.
- Staying Connected (Hitting)IntermediateStaying connected means the hands and bat turn with the body instead of working on their own. The lead elbow stays near the chest, and the barrel lags behind the hands until the hips and shoulders bring it through. A disconnected swing usually shows up as the hands casting away from the body or the barrel dragging late.
- Stealing BasesIntermediateTo steal more bases, win the race before you start sprinting. Take a lead you can safely get back from, learn each pitcher's first move to the plate, and go the instant he commits home. Push off with a quick first step, run straight at the bag without looking back, and slide early to the side away from the tag. In Little League Majors and younger, runners cannot leave until the pitch reaches the batter, so the jump comes from reading the pitch instead.
- Strength Training for Bat SpeedIntermediateStrength training can raise bat speed by building the legs, hips and trunk that drive the swing. Many programs pair basic lifts such as squats, hinges and presses with rotational medicine-ball throws done at full speed. Young athletes should learn form with light loads under qualified supervision.
- Strikeout RateIntermediateStrikeout rate (K%) is the percentage of plate appearances that end in a strikeout — elevated K% reduces a hitter's value by eliminating batted-ball outcomes entirely.
- Sweeper (Pitch)IntermediateA sweeper is a type of slider that breaks much more sideways than a regular slider. MLB's glossary says the average sweeper breaks about 15 inches horizontally, compared with about 6 inches for a typical slider. It is usually thrown slower than a regular slider, often with side spin, and it is hard to square up.
- Sweet Spot PercentageIntermediateSweet spot percentage is the share of a hitter's batted balls launched between 8 and 32 degrees. MLB's Statcast uses that band because it covers line drives that become hits and fly balls that go for extra bases. It measures launch angle only, not how hard the ball was hit.
- Swing DecisionsIntermediateSwing decisions are the choice a hitter makes on every pitch to swing or take. A good decision is a swing at a pitch you can hit hard, or a take on one you can't, even when the result goes badly. Better decisions come from a plan for each count, early pitch recognition and knowing your own strong zones.
- Swinging Down on the Ball (Coaching Cue)Intermediate'Swing down on the ball' is an old cue. Taken literally, a downward bat meets the ball for only a short moment and produces ground balls. Pitches arrive on a slightly falling line, and most hard contact comes from a barrel rising slightly at contact. The cue can still help as a feel for a hitter who loops under the ball.
- Switch HittingIntermediateSwitch hitting means batting left-handed against right-handed pitchers and right-handed against lefties. The aim is to always face pitchers from the other side, where breaking balls move toward you and the release point is easier to see. It doubles the swings a hitter needs. It suits players willing to train both sides for years.
- Switching to a Wood BatIntermediateA wood bat has a smaller sweet spot and less pop than a metal bat. Mishits sting and go nowhere, and pitches off the handle can break it. To adjust, take regular swings with wood, focus on squaring the ball on the barrel and get the barrel out in front on inside pitches. Pick a length you can control.
- Timing a Pitcher From the DugoutIntermediateTime a pitcher from the dugout by matching your load to his delivery. Watch when his hands break or his leg lifts, and start your load in rhythm as if you were batting. Also note his pitch types, his speed and anything he does differently on off-speed pitches, such as a slower arm or a visible grip.
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