If you or your kids love playing baseball, a great tactic to help the team is to improve skills like batting. Knowing the best techniques will help your practice to be even more effective, so before heading to the next game or visiting the batting cages, consider implementing these tips to improve your hit rate and number of great runs.

How Can Baseball Players Increase Their Hit Rate?

1. Select the Right Gear

Your bat and batting gloves should feel comfortable. A snug glove, for instance, will offer a better grip against the bat, but a saggy or wrinkled one will create blisters and make it difficult to get an accurate swing. If the bat itself is too heavy or light, it will be harder to control the swing and speed. Additionally, the length of the bat should complement your own weight and height. Kids often need a bat under 31 inches, but adults usually require more length to suit their size.

2. Work On Hand-Eye-Coordination

Being able to track the speed of a fastball or identify the break on a curveball allows you to better interpret where the ball will land and improves your reaction time. Practice eye drills that enhance peripheral and central vision so you can swing at the appropriate time and in the correct way to hit the ball at your desired location. 

One helpful drill involves bouncing a tennis ball against a wall or the floor and catching it as it rebounds. Learning to juggle also improves hand-eye coordination while helping your mind make faster decisions. Another technique is using eye-shifting exercises that improve the ability to swiftly change focus and attention. Focus on a nearby object and then a faraway object and back again in five-second intervals, noting different important details about each object every time.

3. Improve Pitch Timing

When in the batter’s box, a player should anticipate rather than react to the pitcher. Study them while you’re on deck so you can get an idea of their rhythm and be better prepared for the type of pitches they are throwing. This will also help your body move into the ideal swing position for hitting the ball as it comes over the plate. If you struggle with timing, consider working with a trainer or batting partner in the batting cages. A knowledgeable partner can monitor your stance, load, and swing and suggest ways to adjust your positioning for better success.

For help improving your batting average, head to Line Drive Indoor Batting in Jupiter, FL. This 6,000-square-foot facility features five batting cages that use HitTrax® to provide real-time hitting stats and performance metrics. Pitchers can also benefit from their Rapsodo® pitching unit, which provides instant pitching data on velocity, spin rate, and strike zone analysis. Visit their website to learn more about their cages and pricing options, or call (561) 283-6614 to speak with a team member.