How to Pitch a Drop Ball

A drop ball is an effective pitch for pitchers to use to get ahead in the count on a good hitter. The reason why it is such an effective pitch is that it forces the batter to drop their shoulder in an attempt to make contact with the ball. This change in shoulder movement and position of the bat causes the hitter to be unable to hit the ball at full force. When you learn how to pitch a drop curve ball, it can be used to strike out opponents or make your defense work for you.

Things You'll Need

  • Softball
  • Rosin bag or dirt
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Instructions

    • 1

      Grab the rosin bag and get a good amount of dust on your pitching hand. Grab the softball. Get a good grip on the seams by placing the middle finger and the index finger on the two vertical seams of the ball. While a drop ball, simply drops while it approaches the plate, a drop curve ball has more movement. Not only does it drop, but it also moves to the left of the plate.

    • 2

      Go into the standard motion of pitching the softball. As you are bringing the arm around from the windmill motion, about halfway before you complete your windmill, bring the back leg forward to give you power to throw the pitch. At the same time, turn the palm downward, so it faces the ground. This shift in palm movement is one of the key features of throwing a drop curve pitch. It is different from a regular fastball pitch where the palm is facing upward.

    • 3

      Snap the wrist from right to left as hard as you can. Just as your arm passes your hip, release the ball. As you release the ball, roll your arm over so that it falls in front of your body. As you complete the wrist movement, allow the lead leg to drag on the ground behind you. The momentum of the windmill, along with the movement of the leg, should help you bring the arm around to the front of the body. Once you have successfully completed the drop curve pitch, the arm should be in front of the body. The combination of the wrist movement and the grip on the ball will cause the ball to move downward and curve to the left side of the plate.