To pitch inside, throw to the catcher’s inside target (never at the hitter) with the same delivery and arm speed as any other fastball, and commit to the pitch so it doesn’t drift back over the plate. Pitching inside keeps hitters off the plate, makes outside pitches more effective, and gets weak contact. Most pitchers should start working inside on purpose once they can command the fastball, usually in high school.
There comes a point, usually in high school, when hitters figure out a pitcher who only works away. They creep up on the plate, lean out over it, and start driving the outside pitch the other way. The answer is pitching inside: not to hurt anyone, but to take the inner part of the plate back so everything else works again.
Here is why pitching inside matters, when a young pitcher should start doing it, and how to do it with control and good sportsmanship.
Why pitching inside matters
It moves the hitter off the plate
A hitter who knows the ball can come inside can’t lean over the plate and dive at the outside corner.
It makes the outside pitch better
Once a hitter has seen a fastball in on his hands, the next one on the outer edge looks a lot farther away.
It gets weak contact
A well-located inside fastball jams hitters, producing soft ground balls and broken-bat pop-ups instead of hard contact.
“Pitching inside isn’t about hitting anyone. It’s about owning the whole plate instead of half of it.”
Command first, then intent.When should a young pitcher start?
For most youth pitchers, the job is still throwing strikes to the middle of the zone, then learning to hit the two halves of the plate. Our guide on how to hit your spots covers that order. Purposely working the inside corner makes the most sense once a pitcher can reliably put his fastball where he wants it, which for most kids is in high school. A 10-year-old trying to pitch inside on purpose usually just hits batters.
How to pitch inside
- Throw to the catcher’s glove, not the hitter. The target is the inside part of the plate, set up by the catcher. The hitter is not the target, ever.
- Keep the same delivery and arm speed. Pitchers who are nervous about pitching inside tend to slow down and steer the ball, which usually leaves it right over the middle. Throw it like any other fastball, just to a different glove.
- Know which side is which. For a right-hander facing a right-handed hitter, inside is his arm side, which most pitchers find easier. Inside to a left-handed hitter is his glove side, which is harder. Our guide on glove-side command covers how to build that half.
- Commit to it. A half-hearted inside pitch drifts back over the plate, which is the worst place for it to end up. If the catcher calls it, throw it with intent.
- Use it to set up the next pitch. Inside is most effective as part of a sequence, followed by something away or off-speed.
| Pitching inside | Throwing at hitters |
|---|---|
| Throws to a corner | Throws at the hitter |
| Owns the plate | Tries to intimidate |
| Edge of the plate | At the body |
| Smart pitching | Poor sportsmanship |
Sportsmanship and safety come first
There is a clear line between pitching inside and throwing at hitters. Pitching inside means attacking the inner edge of the plate with control. Throwing at a hitter is dangerous, poor sportsmanship, and can get a pitcher ejected. Every coach worth playing for teaches the first and never the second. If a pitch gets away and hits someone, he checks on the hitter, resets, and goes back to the glove.
Some young pitchers are actually afraid of hitting a batter, which makes them steer everything away from the hitter. If that sounds familiar, our guide on the fear of hitting a batter walks through it.
How to practice it
Inside command is built in bullpens. Have the catcher set up inside for sets of fastballs and track how many land on the inside half. For a more realistic look, a teammate can stand in the box wearing a helmet and not swinging, so the pitcher gets used to seeing a hitter there. Keep the effort controlled, count the throws, and compare him to himself from one week to the next. Our guide on how to throw a bullpen covers making those reps count.
If his inside pitches keep drifting back over the plate, the cause is usually in his delivery, not his nerve. A free evaluation breaks down his mechanics frame by frame and shows what’s pulling the ball off target. Start his free evaluation.
The bottom line
Pitching inside keeps hitters off the plate, makes the outside pitch more effective, and produces weak contact. Start once a pitcher can command his fastball, usually in high school. Throw to the catcher’s inside target with the same delivery and arm speed, commit to the pitch, and use it to set up the next one. And keep the line clear: pitching inside is smart baseball, while throwing at hitters never is. Smooth is fast, even on the inner edge.
Common questions
Why do pitchers pitch inside?
To keep hitters from leaning over the plate, to make pitches on the outside corner more effective, and to get weak contact by jamming hitters. A pitcher who can work both sides of the plate is far harder to hit than one who only works away.
When should a young pitcher start pitching inside?
Once he can reliably command his fastball, which for most pitchers is in high school. Before that, the priority is throwing strikes and learning to hit the two halves of the plate. Young pitchers trying to work the inside corner on purpose tend to hit batters.
Is pitching inside the same as throwing at hitters?
No. Pitching inside means attacking the inner edge of the plate with control, using the catcher’s glove as the target. Throwing at a hitter is dangerous, poor sportsmanship, and can get a pitcher ejected. Good coaches teach the first and never the second.
How do you pitch inside without hitting batters?
Throw to the catcher’s inside target with the same delivery and arm speed as any other fastball, and commit to the pitch. Slowing down and steering it usually leaves it over the middle or makes it miss badly. Building inside command in bullpens first makes it far more reliable in games.
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