How to Pitch a Changeup

A changeup is an important pitch to learn if you are a baseball or softball pitcher, especially if your fastball is hard and accurate. When a changeup is thrown, it appears to the batter as a fastball. Your stance and windup are the same for a changeup as they are for a fastball, but a changeup is much slower and drops lower in the strike zone. By alternating fastballs and changeups in succession, batters will have difficulty reading the ball's speed.

Things You'll Need

  • Baseballs
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Instructions

    • 1

      Hold the ball deep in your hand with your middle and ring fingers across the seams. By holding the ball well in your palm, you are creating more friction which slows down your pitch. Look at your hand to ensure only two fingers come across the top of the ball.

    • 2

      Press the tips of your index and pinky fingers against the side of your thumb on the side of the ball so that only your middle finger and ring finger are over the top. All your fingers need to squeeze the ball, with your pinky and index fingers pressed against the sides of the ball while your middle and ring fingers press on the top of the ball. Do not bend your wrist. A fastball grip utilizes only your index and middle finger, which is where the majority of your power lies. You will decrease the amount of power to your pitch by relying less on your index and middle fingers.

    • 3

      Hold the ball in your glove. Batters can determine the type of pitch you intend to throw by your grip. Hiding the ball will prevent the batter from seeing the grip you are using and he will not be able to determine the type of pitch that is coming. Keep your stance

    • 4

      Start your windup. Pivot your body weight from your back leg to your front leg. Unlike a fastball, where you shift most of your weight to your front leg, a changeup requires less weight transfer. However, it is important to make your windup look just as it does when you're pitching a fastball. This deception is the key to a successful changeup.

    • 5

      Release your changeup with your index, middle and ring finger on top of the ball. When you release the ball, curl your fingers towards your body. This is the main difference between delivering a changeup and a fastball. When the ball is released, it starts off like a fastball but drastically reduces speed as it reaches the plate, which makes the ball drop right before it enters the strike zone.

    • 6

      Reduce your back leg kick. When you throw a fastball, your back leg will kick high which decreases the speed of your arm and body after the release. With a changeup your back leg kick should be lower if the pitch is to be successful, since with a slower pitch you do not have to lower your arm and body speed.

    • 7

      Follow through with your body and your arm. If done correctly, your throwing arm will come across your body, while your back foot will land parallel to your planted foot.