Types Of Pitches - Pro Baseball Insider

Maybe your like

Trending

What is Instructional League?
3 Tips for How to Tag the Runner at 2nd Base | Infield Defense
Best Hand-Eye Coordination Drills for Baseball & Softball
Does One-Knee Stance Mean WORSE Blocking? (What stats tell us)
CATCHERS | Is Traditional Stance Outdated? 3 MLB Catchers & Coaches Answer the Question
Should SOFTBALL CATCHERS use one-knee stance?
Like Father, Like Son: Top 10 Father-Son Duos to both play Major League Baseball
Is Your Hitter Afraid of Stingers? Use This Hitting Drill To Overcome Fear of Hand Sting in Baseball and Softball
The best infield drills at home: Low Intensity Skill Routines
Aaron Judge Shares His FULL Pregame Hitting Routine
Youth Baseball Field Size by Age & League
UPDATE – Life one year after retiring from MLB
What is “Plate Discipline” in baseball? (And softball)
Fast Pitch vs Slow Pitch Softball: What’s the difference?
Hilarious Good Luck Rituals of Famous Athletes
Fixing Common Backhand Mistakes | Tips on Coaching Youth Baseball #3
Active Catch Routine | Tips on Coaching Youth Baseball #2
“Quick Win” for Fielding | Tips on Coaching Youth Baseball #1
Baseball Tryout Tips | #1 biggest tip from MLB Pro Scout
Best Training Bats to Increase Bat Speed

Navigate

Free Instruction
- Hitting
- Pitching
- Catching
- 1st Base
- 2nd Base
- 3rd Base
- Shortstop
- Outfield
- Base Running
- Coaching
- Gear Reviews
  - Sunglasses
  - Wood Bats
  - Pine Tar
  - Top 5 Batting Tees
  - Practice Nets
  - Hitting Aids
  - Batting Gloves
  - Catcher’s Gear
  - Glove Sizing Chart
  - Infield Gloves
  - Pitchers Gear
  - Cleats
  - Performance Clothing
  - Baseball Protective Gear
  - Cold weather
  - Baseball Bat sensors
  - Who has discounts
  - Metal Bats
  - Strength & Conditioning equipment
  - Pitchback / Rebounder Net
Training Programs
Articles
Hitting Drills
About Us
- Pro Contributors
- About Doug, Founder of PBI
- Contact Us
- Featured Photographers
- Why it’s free
- Sitemap
- Guest post requests
- Subscribe
- Baseball Charities
- Legal stuff

How to identify types of pitches in baseball, and know what each pitch does.

What is a sinker? What is a knuckle ball? How do I identify and hit a cut fastball? How fast is each type of pitch? What do the pitch grips look like?

various pitch grips for different types of pitches in baseball

Two seam fastball pitch grip

These and other questions are answered in this summary of the types of pitches in baseball. Also, Yankee pitchers Kevin Whelan and DJ Mitchell demonstrate the proper grip on the baseball for different types of pitches.

Knowing the different types of pitches and their movements is important for both the pitcher and batter. As the batter, knowing the types of pitches and how to recognize them when they are thrown will help you make contact with baseball more consistently.

Understanding what each pitch does

different types of pitches in baseball, various grips for pitching

Cut fastball grip

4-seam fastball

This pitch is the hardest of the fastballs, it rotates backwards keeping the ball straight with not much movement.

2-seam fastball (sinker)

The 2-seamer or the sinker is a fastball that is just gripped differently than the 4-seamer. It is held with the seams rather than across.
This pitch moves arm side of the pitcher and down.
This movement is a result of the seams catching the air in a way that pushes the ball down and in to righties from a right handed pitcher.
1-3 mph slower than the 4-seamer.

various baseball pitch grips, grip for a slider, various types of pitches in baseball

Slider grip

2-seam fastball (runs)

This is the same pitch as the sinker, but some pitchers have trouble making the ball dive towards the ground.
If the ball moves to the pitchers arm side (inside to a righty from a right handed pitcher) and doesn’t have any depth, than the ball runs.
1-3 mph slower than the 4-seamer.

Cut fastball

This one is still in the fastball family and moves the opposite way of the 2-seamer.
Out of the hand it looks a little like a cement mixer slider. With spin that that is looser than a slider, it can be tough to pick up the rotation early, because there is no red dot in the middle of the baseball.
Has similar action to the slider, just less movement. Also it has more velocity than the slider (5-8 mph slower than 4-seamer).
This pitch moves only a few inches to the pitchers glove side and doesn’t usually have much depth.

Yankee pitcher Kevin Whelan demonstrates a type of curveball grip. Types of baseball pitches and baseball pitch grips. How to recognize and hit a knuckle curveball pitch

knuckle curveball grip

Slider

This pitch slides at an angle towards the pitchers glove side with depth.
Its usually 9-12 mph slower than the 4-seam fastball.
You will see tight spin with a red dot (seams converging and spinning) to help you identify the slider.
Usually has a break of 3-6 inches.

Curveball

Has significantly more depth than the slider.
Usually has a 12-6 break (as if looking at a clock).
Spin is straight over the top, and the ball will look like it has a hump coming out of the pitchers hand.

types of pitches in baseball. Yankee pitcher DJ Mitchell demonstrates the proper grip for a circle changeup pitch

circle changeup grip

A knuckle curve ball has the same movement as a regular curve ball, the only difference is the grip.
Usually at least 15 mph slower than the fastball. Every now and then a pitcher will throw it harder, but still not as hard as the slider.
Check out Garrett Richards shares tips for throwing a curveball

Slurve

Mixture of the slider and curve ball.
Usually big and loopy but its break angle is more of a 10-4 or11-5 if looking at a clock, pitched from a right hander.
Closer to the curveball speed than the slider speed.
The slurve is more common than a true curveball.

types of pitches in baseball, baseball pitch grips, how to recognize different pitches from the batter's point of view

Change up grip

Change-up

Is supposed to have the same spin as a fastball.
8-15 mph slower than the fastball.
Depending on the pitcher, some will throw a change-up that has a little depth, and some just float it in there and rely on the change in speed, and the similar spin for effectiveness.

Split finger

Can be thrown hard or softer to act like a change-up.
Regardless of the velocity it is thrown, the action is the same.
There is a tumbling down action to the baseball, which can be seen out of the pitchers hand. The baseball starts in the zone and dives straight into the ground.
This pitch has very late down movement which makes this pitch to lay off of. Most times it is not thrown for a strike.
Is used mostly as a strikeout pitch.

professional pitchers demonstrate the different kinds of pitches and pitch grips; how to recognize and hit different types of pitches

Split finger fastball grip

Knuckle ball

Usually thrown very slow, and used on almost every pitch.
The ball comes into the zone with almost no rotation. This will make the ball flutter, having unpredictable movement which can make the pitch tough to hit and catch.
The old adage when hitting a knuckle ball is, “if its high, let it fly, if its low, let it go.”

__________________________________________

I hope this brief overview of some different types of pitches is helpful for you. I invite you to ask questions or leave feedback by commenting below. Play hard! – Doug

Back to All Baseball Instruction

About Author

Doug Bernier

Website
Facebook
Twitter

Doug Bernier, founder of Pro Baseball Insider.com, debuted in the Major Leagues in 2008 with the Colorado Rockies, and has played professional baseball for 5 organizations (CO Rockies, NY Yankees, PIT Pirates, MN Twins, & TX Rangers) over the past 16 years. He has Major League time at every infield position, and has played every position on the field professionally except for catcher. (Click to watch this great defensive play by Bernier) Since retiring in 2017, Doug Bernier has worked for the Colorado Rockies organization in multiple roles, including Major League Professional Scout , Data & Game Planning Coordinator , Defensive Coordinator (2019–2021), and Field & Infield Coordinator (2022–present). He oversees player development throughout the Rockies’ Minor League system, focusing on infield defense, throwing mechanics, and game preparation. Off the field, he founded Pro Baseball Insider and created the Confident Infielder Program and Inner Circle, where he helps players and coaches learn pro-level fundamentals and build lasting confidence in their game.

Get the 5 Point Power Booster videos here 👉 Get the free videos

30 Comments

Tonio on January 25, 2021 2:31 pm
Every baseball game features hundreds of pitches from 60 feet, 6 inches, each serving one defined purpose: to defeat a hitter.
Reply
Kristofer Van Wagner on September 2, 2020 11:29 pm
Thank you for pointing out that there are many different pitches in baseball. My son is planning to get into baseball as a hobby. I will look for a pitching academy to enroll him in.
Reply
Angie & Reese on December 11, 2018 10:44 pm
Hey there! I’m sitting here with my 10 year old son chatting baseball. (I’m the mom!) I’ve played softball much of my life, so my baseball IQ is higher than that of most girls, but I still get hung up on some things that are different. Is there a pitch in baseball called a riser? Thanks! I need to learn as much as I can – this kid’s goal is to make it to the big leagues and my job as mom is to support his goal!
Reply
- Tom on October 28, 2019 10:08 am
  Not sure why this went unanswered, or if you’ll ever see the response, but here’s a free amateur response anyway. As I understand it, a “riser” is a bit of a misnomer, but it refers to a fastball. The better the rotation on a fastball, the more “lift” it has on it to counter gravity. However gravity still prevails, so the ball does not, in fact, ever actually gain altitude. But if you’re a batter watching a fast ball come in and your brain expects the ball to drop at a typical rate, the actual trajectory of the ball appears to rise relative to your expectations. So in a nutshell, your perception is that the ball is rising.
  Reply
  - Ronnie on January 26, 2021 5:02 am
    There is a riser in soft ball but it has a lot more area for the air to affect it so it moves all directions , when a hardball is thrown around 85 mph and up the more it moves but not up
    Reply
- j on October 29, 2019 12:00 am
  your job as a mom is to make your children socially responsible adults, not civic problems, recidivists, or drug abusing criminals. if you have time after that, go ahead and support his unrealistic dreams and encourage him to beat the incredible odds of making it to the majors. what the hey, there are 800 MLB players, and only 330 million people in the US. better not let him know over 50% of those players are from latin american countries, so the actual pond MLB is fishing in is much greater than just the 330 million in the US, and his chances are about 1.2 millionths of 1% to make that goal happen.
  Reply
  - h on May 20, 2020 10:00 am
    people dont make their dreams a reality because they listen to people like you, they get overwhelmed with the hatred they are reviving and give because they dont see the point in trying if they aren’t gonna make it. you should be encouraging this kid to be the best he can because who knows he could be the next mike trout or the next ken Griffey jr.
    Reply
  - M on June 24, 2021 4:40 pm
    J, so sorry that you never made it past coach pitch! But maybe instead of trying to teach someone else how to raise their kid, work on yourself instead. It seems like there’s a lot of room for growth. And for the record, the percentage of MLB players from Latin America is actually less than 30%. I’m really not sure where you got that inflated number, but my sense is that you’re a lonely xenophobe who seems to know very little about baseball or human decency.
    Reply
  - Jim on May 4, 2023 4:17 pm
    Mind your own business. Who appointed you as the judge of other people’s dreams? I wonder where the urge to tell this woman how to raise her children came from…you should get a life. Baseball is a great way for a kid to stay out of trouble. Your advice would increase that risk.
    Reply
  - Barry McCokner on September 11, 2023 1:56 am
    I truly hope you see this eventually, doubt you ever will but I hope so. I get living in reality and the chances of majority of the population never making it into a professional league are quite low. However, with that being said you are a horrible, pathetic, less than dog shit human being for saying that to the woman raising a young man and trying to learn as much as she can to help him better understand the game and development of the sport. If you ever told a child that, that’s sickening and sad, I TRULY hope you don’t and never do have any children. I’d absolutely hate for some pathetic ass tool (exactly what you are) to be my parent/guardian. Anyone who would ever discourage their children or any child from chasing their dreams is a real life cornball ass loser 🤣 If either of my two boys or any three of my other kids (step kids) told me their dream/goal was to be able to play one year of every single sport at a professional level ie: MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, UFC, hell even Supercross/Motocross etc. and that they would be rookie of the year in every one of them, I’d look them straight in the face with 100% sincerity and say “ I believe you can if you truly want it, and it’ll be a lot of long days of blood sweat and tears so let’s sit down and figure out the most effective workouts, drills, practices etc. that you need to do to get you to that level in all of them. Then I’d encourage them every single day and help them with anything they needed, track their progress, put them through camps, give them tips and tools if I knew any good ones that they didn’t, and tell them every single day they can do anything they put in the work for. But I’d never crush their dreams the way you mentioned regardless of the percentage of likeliness being extremely low because guess what, people go pro every single day who’s to say some random person you are talking to on the internet isn’t the parent of one of the kids who will actually make it ? Exactly you’re stupid ass doesn’t. Lastly, regardless of the odds being extremely low id back them 100% never telling them they can’t unless they stop trying. Because eventually all that hard work, dedication, relentlessness, and parental support will payoff and they’ll make it into the league, or they will eventually become aware of the reality ON THEIR OWN, that It’s extremely hard and the odds aren’t great and that’s okay because at least then they had all the encouragement and support from the people who mean the most to them and it will stick with them forever and pass it down to their kids, that way also their heart wouldn’t be broke or believe that they couldn’t ever do anything different or special in their lives because you instilled into their minds at a young age that they will never be good enough to do anything they want and that they’ll be boring, basic ass people who won’t ever accomplish anything in their life.
    You’re a terrible individual, sincerely, someone who can see a terrible narcissistic person who had their heart broke and dreams crushed from a young age so they do it to their children or any children they are able to, instead of breaking the cycle and begin encouraging and supporting rather than hating and discouraging.
    Reply
  - RosieBB on June 20, 2024 7:09 pm
    If someone is willing to commit to whatever it takes to get where they’re going, discouraging comments are bunk. Some have a mindset of… if there’s a chance, I’m going to be that choice. Look at the determination of Tom Brady and Michael Jordan that were overlooked but chose to dig in even harder. They not only made it, they became the G.O.A.T.
    Reply
- Eijun on December 12, 2019 5:33 am
  Practice the serve called “Improved CutterBall”
  Reply
- Matte on December 21, 2020 11:37 pm
  I think the riser or ‘rise ball’ is a pitch in softball.
  Reply
- Julian Finnerty on September 15, 2022 1:47 pm
  Yes there is! Its called a rising fastball. This type of fastball rises in the air. This can trick the batter from thinking the ball is gonna go center with no motion like it always does.
  Reply
- Layton on April 5, 2023 10:33 am
  Yes, there is a pitch called a riser or rising fastball. Its goal (as the name implies) is to steadily rise as it approaches the catcher before breaking and becoming a two seam, or at least that’s how I throw it. Its goal is to just rise and then break. Hence the name, riser! ^^
  Reply
sean on November 25, 2018 2:28 pm
“moves arm side of the pitcher”
What does “moves arm side” mean?
Reply
- SCOTT on July 8, 2019 9:31 am
  an example of arm side movement would be a right hand pitcher throwing to a right handed batter and the pitch moves (run or sinks) towards the hitter on the pitcher’s arm side vs away from the hitter like a curveball which breaks outside or away from the hitter towards the pitchers glove side.
  Reply
Will on April 5, 2018 10:56 am
How hard does one usually throw a knuckle curveball on a scale of 1-10?
Reply
- Julian Finnerty on September 15, 2022 1:47 pm
  6
  Reply
P on July 8, 2017 4:16 pm
As I watch MLB games, I hear the announcers saying, ‘That was a slider down and away” or “2-seam fastball over the plate” and I wanted to see how these pitches were held and thrown. Thank you!
Reply
Kevin on June 16, 2017 10:46 pm
Hey this is on excellent description of the pitches in baseball. Now all I need is to recognize each from the televized perspective that is the standard for all coverage . The commentators seem to identity each pitch with great ease.
Reply
James Geer on July 2, 2016 6:17 pm
Sadly, most of the kids who come to us in high school are cemented into throwing just a 2-seam fastball, a circle change, and a curve. Their hand size changes – as does their entire body and build – but their Little League and travel league coaches are often the same guys. So, thanks for the info and pictures. This will help with getting pitchers to try some new stuff, adjust their grips, and focus more on control and movement. Often a very successful young pitcher will suddenly struggle – invariably it’s because the competition at the high school level is so much better than what they’ve faced.
Reply
mac moen on June 28, 2016 6:53 pm
how about the euphus pitch, an extreme high change-up usually causing the batter to overswing. I remember a certain juan marachal had five different curve balls, how about Vida Blue’s rising fastball. I asked my 2yr 10m old grandson how many pitches he had and this is why i end up asking internet the same question. former pitcher, 3rd base and left fielder. age 70
Reply
Mario D. on April 17, 2016 10:58 pm
Thank you because, though most people take it for granted, you actually explained that “a curveball spins from top to bottom.” So many time I see teachers completely forget to teach this most basic fact of the curveball.
Reply
Alex Ball on March 1, 2016 1:44 pm
How do throw a scerw ball I have been trying to find out for along time
Reply
- riri on April 4, 2017 6:58 pm
  hi
  Reply
Jason on November 16, 2015 9:02 am
How do you throw the slidder pitch?
Reply
Jody Mendez on June 25, 2014 10:38 am
I greatly appreciate your explanations. I’m working on a project that outlines and describes all of the various pitch types used in modern day MLB baseball. The problem that I’m having is that there does not seem to be any true uniformity in describing just how different pitch types move after release. Many movment descriptions from one source will be exactly like the movements of different pitches from another source…
What is the best and most definitive source that you’ve found for in-depth explanations of pitches with accompanying illustrations/diagrams?
Thank you for your time.
Reply
- Bob Scott on May 27, 2018 2:58 pm
  There is no uniformity. NONE! One pitcher calls what they throw as curve, but another calls it a slurve. One may throw a “slider,” while another will be throwing a cutter… same pitch different name. Announcers see one pitch and call it one thing where it is often something else. Different pitching coaches even have different names for the same pitches. And if this isn’t enough, different pitches that do the same thing can be thrown different ways with different grips. The ones listed are the main pitches, BUT there are infinite variations… AND all pitches act differently when thrown sidearm, submarine, overhand, and what most pitchers throw, three quarter, and the each pitch grip reacts to the different arm angle. I am quite sure that I can throw over 120 different variations if I include arm angles different curve grips, different slider grips, different split & forkball grips. That is probably a very conservative estimate.
  I just checked how many ways I can throw a curve..15, and that is only overhand, so I can throw 15 side arm, 15 three quarter, fifteen high three quarter, fifteen low three quarter, plus the 15 over hand. That is 75 different curves plus a few that I have thrown submarine, plus the knuckle curve that I did not include because it is just like one of my variations just with the fore finger lifted, but all of the curves are thrown with the middle finger, so I didn’t call it a variation.
  Reply
Doug, the "bug" on February 26, 2012 12:24 pm
Okay, here’s the deal: I’ve never played professional baseball; my brother and cousin have–the cousin even “broke in” with Nolan Ryan, for God’s sake and were on the same teams together for two seasons. I have played and coached at the LL, high school, college and semi-pro levels–and simply just KNOW HOW to hit a baseball, that’s all; better yet, I now HOW to teach it in a simple manner to young hitters.
Two things I need to address with Doug’s instruction..Everything sounds good, except: 1.) he says nothing about “batlag”, and how the hip rotation just a little BEFORE that generates that “batlag” into batspeed before contact, and 2.) he says nothing about NOT strightening your bottom hand elbow (a “no-no” ) as the hands are in the hitting zone, prior to making contact WITH the baseball. Everything else I don’t have a problem with..
Reply