The 4 Methods of the Bunting Technique

Throughout all levels of baseball, the bunt is a strategic technique used either to advance runners or to get yourself on base. Bunting requires practice, though, and whether you are advancing runners or moving to base, changes in your bat placement or angle affect whether you will succeed. Once you understand the purpose of each bunt and the techniques to achieve them correctly, you can implement them into your batting strategy.

  1. Pivot

    • The pivot bunt is the most common bunting technique. It begins when the pitcher enters his windup and you drop your body into a crouched position, pivoting your body toward the pitcher while shifting your body weight forwards, according to Baseball Skills Center. The pivot bunt allows you to bunt from a controlled stance, giving you the option to pull your bat back if you see a pitch that is outside the strike zone. During a pivot bunt, push your bat forward as the pitch moves over the plate to get the ball farther from the catcher. Select a placement for your bunt based on the position of the defense to take advantage of infielders who are standing too far back, such as the third baseman.

    Squeeze

    • A squeeze bunt is a bunting technique designed to catch the defense off guard. To perform a squeeze, you must wait until the last moment to move your bat into your bunting position. The danger in technique is that it requires you to attempt your bunt against pitches that may not be desirable, reports Baseball Skills Center. The squeeze is often used as a technique to advance a base runner, meaning that a poorly performed squeeze could get your base runner thrown out. A variation of the squeeze is the suicide squeeze in which the runner is on third base and running home, resulting in a potential out should you miss your bunt at the plate.

    Sacrifice Bunt

    • Performing a sacrifice bunt allows you to move a base runner safely into scoring position. This is different from the squeeze in that you are expecting that you will be thrown out at first base with a sacrifice bunt. It begins with the call to your base runner, letting him know to begin moving toward the next base just as the pitcher begins his pitch. Bunt the ball away from the bag direction of the base runner. For instance, if your runner is moving to third base, angle your bunt toward the first or second baseman. If your base runner is moving towards second, angle the ball between the pitcher and catcher to give your runner enough time to get to base. The goal is to force the defense to throw you out because it should be unable to make a play on your runner.

    Bunt for Hit

    • Known as a drag bunt, begin running with the bat as the ball reaches the plate. Angle your bat so that the pitch is bunted down the first base line. An ideal drag bunt should have enough power to keep the catcher from reaching it in time to throw you out, says Baseball Skills Center. If applied correctly, you'll force the pitcher to try to make a play on the bunt and eliminate the catcher as a threat.