Should Bat path be different based on age?

A question that we get often is "Should a younger hitter swing differently from an older hitter?" The short answer is no. While we get far more in depth and detailed with older hitters, the major components of swing mechanics should be the same regardless of age. Today I want to discuss what is perhaps the most widely argued about topic of swing mechanics: Bat path.

(If you would rather watch a video than read, here is the YouTube Video)

What is Bat Path?

Bat path simply refers to the path that the bat travels through the hitting zone, or the area of contact where a hitter can make contact and keep the ball fair. See the picture below. The red lines represent the hitting zone and the green dots represent the bat path.

What is a good bat path?

If you take a look at the green dots above, you notice that they move slightly up through the hitting zone. Why? Every pitch in baseball moves down as it comes through the hitting zone on its way from the pitcher to the catcher (blue line). Therefore, the best way for a hitter to give themselves a chance to make solid contact is to meet the path of that incoming pitch. That means that to meet that path, bat must move up. Let Ted Williams' picture from his book "The Science of Hitting" provide another visual.

Younger hitters vs older hitters bat path

The thing that probably drives me the craziest is that the common coaching cue for younger hitters is to swing down or level. Many coaches believe that moving the bat up either never works or should only be used for Major League power hitters. However, the physics of the game do not change based on how old you are. Pitcher is still throwing a ball and gravity still exists, even on little league fields. The pitch moves down and bat needs to move up.

In many cases, I would argue that the bat moving up is even more vital for younger hitters. Especially at the start of kids pitching, and at the start of playing 60/90, pitchers often times through at a lower velocity. This means that the ball will travel on an even steeper downhill angle on its way to home plate, making it even more important to move the bat up and not down.

What happens when a hitter doesn't move up?

The most common flaw it the swings of younger hitters is their bat path, specifically the bat moving down or level through the zone. As I stated earlier, hitters who move the bat this way through the zone severely hamper their ability to make consistent hard contact. This leads to making an already hard activity even more frustrating for kids. Check out this clip below of a very young hitter swinging down through the zone. You will notice that the ball and the bat are moving in completely different directions.

Now take a look at a younger hitter creating a good slightly uphill swing. Notice how the bat and ball are on a collision course, giving this hitter a vastly improved chance to make good contact.

Conclusion

So, the bat path should be the same regardless of the age of the hitter. The physics of the game remain the same at all levels: pitcher standing on a hill, throwing a ball that travels down on its way to home plate. In order for a hitter to have maximal consistency, the bat must move slightly up through the hitting zone. If you are interested in some drills to help improve bat path check out our Drill Library here.