Baseball is a sport that continuously teaches, as long as you’re open to learning. Over the past year and a half, I’ve gained a new perspective on the baseball swing, and I’m excited to share my discoveries.
This journey started with my friend and former teammate, Chris Colabello, who made an incredible journey from seven years in the independent leagues to the major leagues. Watching him hit was pure joy, and our conversations about his swing completely changed how I viewed hitting. Additionally, feedback from some of you in the comments on this blog challenged me to dig deeper into the mechanics of a baseball swing, leading to some eye-opening realizations.
Why Bat Path Matters
Like many players, I was taught early on to focus on bringing my hands to the ball, using my top hand, and “chopping down” on the pitch. This technique, which coaches often refer to as staying “short to the ball,” was meant to help me stay consistent and improve my contact rate.
However, I began to notice something troubling: the best hitters in the game weren’t using this approach. They often spoke in similar terms, but when I watched their swings, they looked very different from mine. One key difference stood out immediately: bat path.
It became clear that some players were able to maintain high performance year after year, dominating in areas like slugging percentage, batting average, and home runs. I asked myself, “What makes these top hitters so consistently great?”
Bat Path, Part 1: Getting the Bat Into the Hitting Zone
One of the first things I realized was that I had a very steep bat entry into the hitting zone. I had been taught that if you “chop down,” the ball would naturally go up, a thought process borrowed from golf. But after talking to some elite hitters and coaches who specialize in swing analysis (a huge thanks to Bobby Tewksbary and Mike Bard, whose teachings have shaped my understanding), I started to understand how the best hitters get their barrel into the hitting zone much earlier.
Instead of waiting for the bat to enter the zone as my front leg plants, like I did, these hitters would get the bat into the zone behind their back leg. That’s about 2-3 feet of the hitting zone I was missing out on!
This became strikingly clear when I compared my swing to that of Albert Pujols. My bat was in the hitting zone for about a foot, while Pujols’ barrel was in the zone for almost 4 feet. It makes sense that if your bat stays in the zone longer, you don’t need perfect timing to make solid contact with the ball.
Bat Path, Part 2: Swing Trajectory
Another crucial aspect of bat path is the trajectory of the swing itself. We often hear terms like “level swing,” or in some cases, advice to “swing down” or “swing up.” These instructions usually stem from what we’ve been taught or from trying to correct deficiencies in our swing.
What really clicked for me, though, was the idea that your swing should match the trajectory of the pitch. If the barrel of the bat enters the zone early and follows the same path as the pitch, that creates a powerful combination. Instead of focusing on swinging level, up, or down, the goal should be to align your bat’s angle with the path of the pitch itself.
Conclusion
Understanding and improving your bat path can have a profound impact on your consistency and success as a hitter. By getting your barrel into the hitting zone earlier and aligning your swing with the trajectory of the pitch, you’ll set yourself up for better contact and greater timing. It’s a small adjustment that can make a huge difference in how you approach the game.
