Pitching & Grips
How to grip and throw every pitch, plus mechanics fundamentals. Built around Pitch Smart guidance on when young arms should add breaking pitches.
Pitch grip viewer
The blue dots mark finger placement. Select a pitch to see the grip and cues.
Four-Seam Fastball
Start hereThe straightest, most accurate pitch and the first one every pitcher should master.
Grip
Index and middle finger across the horseshoe seam, about a finger-width apart. Thumb underneath on smooth leather. Hold it loosely with a gap between the ball and your palm.
Cues
- Grip it soft — like an egg, not a fist
- Stay behind the ball and drive through the target
- Let the seams create clean backspin for carry
Protect young arms
Pair grips with age-based pitch limits and required rest days.
Articles
Baseball Pitch Grips (with Diagrams)
Interactive grip viewer for the five core pitches, with finger placement and three cues each.
7 min readHow to Throw a Curveball
A safe, step-by-step approach to the curveball grip, release and common mistakes.
6 min readHow to Throw a Slider
The slider grip and release, how it differs from a curveball, and when to add it.
5 min readPitching from the Stretch
Why and when pitchers use the stretch, the set position, and controlling the running game.
5 min readLong Toss Basics
How to structure a long-toss routine to build arm strength safely.
5 min read