Get More Movement on Your 2-Seam Fastball

The four seamer is the foundation of any pitcher’s arsenal. The better it is, the more effective everything else he throws will be. The “best” change up grip will depend on the pitcher. So it’s a good idea to let young pitchers experiment with different options. The pitch gets its name because it looks like you can see four seams when it travels towards you. As the ball rotates you see four seams which is different than what you see with a curve or a two-seamer.

Once a pitcher learns how to grip a four-seam fastball, he should add a 2-seam fastball to his pitching arsenal. In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about gripping and throwing a 2-seam fastball with simple, step-by-step instructions… The lower your arm slot, the easier this may be for you.

Generally, pitchers who have lower arm slots have a better feel for creating sidespin since their arm at release is already in a more horizontal position. In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about throwing a two-seam fastball that goes beyond “dirty” or “nasty” and usually involves embarrassing the batter… The first finger should just lay on the ball and be close to the middle finger so the ball can roll over it quickly. A few pitchers will actually lift the first finger upon release. Use the same windup, release point, arm speed and extension. The extra friction from the deeper grip will take the speed off the pitch for you.

He continues to throw a two-seamer and is now employing it at a career-high rate (20.4% of pitches) despite not throwing it the first two months of the season. Practice and perfect the two seam fastball and you will have added a great pitch to your pitching selections. With the two seamer you will try to put just a little bit more pressure on the index finger than on the middle finger. If you believe adding velocity could be critical to your success,check out my proven programs for pitchers of all ages.

Use a slightly firmer finger pressure than the four seamer and hold the baseball a little deeper in the hand. With a four-seam fastball, the baseball is balanced and consistent finger pressure creates a straighter flight path to the plate, creating better accuracy and control. Once he’s mastered the four-seamer, I recommend adding a two-seamer and a change up before advancing to a breaking pitch like the curve ball at 14 or 15 years old. You will notice that a two-seam fastball will move or tail.

Grip the ball with your top two fingers across the seams and with your index finger and middle finger across the seams at the ball’s widest point. But don’t grip it tightly—grip it like an egg in your fingertips.The key is to get the ball to leave your hand without much friction. If you’re right-handed, the ball should dive inside on a right-handed hitter. A pro right-handed pitcher typically wouldn’t throw this to a left-hander because the pitch would probably cut right into the barrel of the bat. Exert pressure on the ball with your middle finger and thumb. But while speed is important to the pitch, the way a fastball is thrown, with two seams, four seams, etc.—is vital to giving the pitch movement.

The more grips that you can master and control, the bigger your advantage will be as a pitcher. Fastballs are not just about speed, but also the movement that you can use to upset a hitter’s timing and balance. I hope you now have a better understanding of four-seam vs. two seam fastballs. Another difference you will notice is that the cutter breaks opposite of the two-seamer. If you are a righty, it will break in on the hands of a lefty – or away from a right-handed hitter.

And always remember, do not grab the ball as it can touch the palm of your hand. Try not to put more pressure on your thumb underneath than your index finger and middle finger. Otherwise, the throw will require more hand movements and techniques.

It should be noted that length of fingers and overall hand size can play a role in how much the ball may move, to some degree. Kyle was a two seam fastball pitcher and his average throwing speed was 91 Mph. During the release, flow the strength from your pitching hand to the tip of your index and middle fingers.

The name two-seam comes from the two horizontal seams that appear spinning towards the batter. The four-seam fastball is perhaps the most common pitch and the first baseball pitching grip that beginners learn. This pitching grip is fast best hitting net for baseball but also gives the pitchers greater control on where they place the pitch. To get this pitch to be effective and run the way it’s supposed to, you should place slightly more pressure on the index finger than the middle finger.