Baseball Pitches – A Comprehensive Guide

Baseball pitches come in three basic categories: fastballs, breaking balls, and off-speed / changeups.  Each category, and each pitch within the category, are generally identified by their type of grip, velocity and movement profile also known as “break”. Pitchers generally throw many different types of baseball pitches, in addition to a fastball.  Although, there are a few pitchers in the MLB that throw just about every type of pitch, starters generally throw 4-5 different variations, and relievers and closers throw 1-3 different ones. The primary purpose for the variations in pitching is to throw a batter’s timing off and induce an out: as in a strike out, a ground out, or a flyout.

Now, let’s review each category and the various baseball pitches:

• • Fastballs
  • Breaking Balls
  • Off-speed / Changeups

Fastball Pitches

4-seam Fastball – The 4-seam Fastball is typically the “staple” of a pitcher’s arsenal. Youth to professional athletes, pitchers at all levels of baseball commonly throw a 4-seam Fastball. It is often the fastest pitch that a pitcher will throw among his baseball pitches. As a pitcher, you need to command this pitch and feel very comfortable throwing it for strikes as needed. In major league baseball, a fastball can have velocities ranging from high 80’s to 100+ MPH.  Below is an example of an MLB level elite 4-seam fastball – Justin Verlander’s 4-seam Fastball.

2022 Stats: Usage 50.4%, .194 BA, .249 wOBA, 18.1 whiff %, 15.8 K%

If interested in reading more about how to throw a 4-seam fastball, please click here.

2-Seam or Sinker – The 2SFB and Sinker are both classified as “fastballs” due to the similarity in velocity to the 4-seam Fastball. However, they are both different due to the amount of side spin these pitches have compared to the 4-seam Fastball. This differentiation in added side spin will cause the sinker and 2SFB to “run” and “dive”. Below is an example of an MLB level elite 2-seam fastball or Sinker – Zach Wheeler’s Sinker & Sonny Gray’s 2SFB.

2022 Stats: Usage 17.2%, .238 BA, .255 wOBA, 16.2 whiff %, 19.2 K %

2022 Stats: Usage 25.9 %, .216 BA, .311 wOBA, 17.9 Whiff %, 27.7 K%

If interested in reading more about how to throw a 2-seam or sinker, please click here.

Cutter (or Cut Fastball) – The cutter, a variation of the 4-seam Fastball, is a pitch that relies on a combination of backspin and gyro spin. By combining backspin and gyro spin, the pitch will move similarly to a 4-seam Fastball out of the pitcher’s hand, and eventually “cut” a few inches horizontally towards the pitcher’s glove side. Below is an example of an MLB level elite cutter. – Corbin Burnes’s Cutter.

2022 Stats: Usage 55.4%, .213 BA, .279 wOBA, 27.8 Whiff %, 24.1 K%

If interested in reading more about how to throw a cutter, please click here.

Splitter – The splitter, or split-fastball, is an off-speed pitch that moves similar to a change-up but thrown at a slightly higher velocity. The splitter is a baseball pitch that will be thrown with a wide grip, causing the pitch to spin significantly less than a pitcher’s fastball. The low spin rate causes this pitch to have serious “drop” when thrown correctly. Below is an example of an MLB level elite splitter. – Felix Bautista’s Splitter.

2022 Stats: Usage 26.4%, .087 BA, .121 wOBA, 53.3 Whiff %, 36.6 K%

If interested in reading more about how to throw a splitter, please click here.

Breaking Ball Baseball Pitches

Curveball – The curveball is a staple breaking ball for pitchers to add to their arsenal of baseball pitches. Generally speaking, a curveball will have a higher spin rate, but be thrown anywhere from 10-15 MPH slower than the fastball. The increase in spin rate, in addition to the axis the pitch is thrown on, will cause the pitch to break, or “curve” much differently than any other pitch. Below is an example of an MLB level elite curveball. – Clayton Kershaw’s Curveball.

2022 Stats: Usage 16.3 %, .184 BA, .183 wOBA, 43.8 Whiff %, 29.9 K %

If interested in reading more about how to throw a curveball, please click here.

Slider or Sweeper – Similarly, to the curveball, the slider is another breaking ball that pitchers can add to their arsenal of baseball pitches. Generally speaking, a slider will be thrown anywhere from 5-10 MPH slower than the fastball, depending on which type of slider is thrown. Typically, there are two types of sliders that you will see:

• • Sweeping sliders – more side spin and true spin
  • Gyro sliders – more gyro spin and less true spin

Both pitches will move on the horizontal plane and “slide” to the pitcher’s glove side to some degree. However, the gyro slider will be affected more by gravity, thus moving more downward compared to its true horizontal counterpart, the sweeper. Below is an example of an MLB level elite sweeping slider and gyro slider. – Shohei Ohtani’s Sweeping Slider & Jacob DeGrom’s Gyro Slider.

2022 Stats: Usage 37.4%, .165 BA, .225 wOBA, 38.1 Whiff %, 30.1 K %

2022 Stats: Usage 39.3, .139 BA, .174 wOBA, 53.8 Whiff %, 35.1 K %

If interested in reading more about how to throw a slider or sweeper, please click here.

Off-speed Baseball Pitches

Changeup – The changeup is an off-speed pitch that pitchers can use deceptively off their fastball to disrupt a hitters timing at the plate. Generally speaking, the changeup will have some degree of “drop” or “run” to a pitcher’s arm side. In addition, the pitch will typically be around 6-12 mph slower than the pitcher’s fastball. This differential in speed is what causes the timing disruption to the hitter. There are a variety of grips that work to throw this pitch:

• • Standard CH Grip
  • Circle CH Grip
  • Split CH Grip

Below is an example of an MLB level elite changeup. – Sandy Alcantara’s Changeup.

2022 Stats: Usage 27.7%, .145 BA, .169 wOBA, 34.4 Whiff %, 26.8 K %

If interested in reading more about how to throw a changeup, please click here.

For a comprehensive guide on pitch grips, please click here.

By Jake Lebovitch (Pitching Coordinator, Strength Coach at RPP Baseball)

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