How to catch up with a fast pitcher 10U

[fastfeet007]

3 plate drill off a pitching machine can help a lot.

Thanks for sharing this video! This looks like a great drill.

 

[clemenslee1]

Thanks for sharing this video! This looks like a great drill.

I think it helps for sure especially for 10yr olds. They can relate that the closer they get the faster the ball is going to get to them. so they don't have a lot of time. So they will adjust to starting earlier. You can do it front toss if you don't have a machine as well.

 

[radness]

Bunting develops timing.

 

[uncdrew]

Honestly?

And this goes against most common logic, and just comes from my experience.

Don't sweat it too much.

I've watched teams (including mine) dial up the pitching machine to 48 to try to fix this, and in the short-term it just won't work.

A) You don't learn to hit fast pitching in one, two, three sessions. It takes a while.
B) If their swings aren't good against slow pitching, working on fast pitching won't make them better
C) You probably won't see that pitching again anytime soon

So much of hitting at these ages is reps. Just keep getting the girls reps. Try to encourage them to hit on their own time as well as practices and games.

Next time you see a flame-thrower, bunt more.

Practice and prepare for what you'll see the most, not the extremes.

That said, I do love the 3-plate drill (or two plate drill is fine too) and we use that. It's good for timing. And timing is a big part of hitting.

But every now and then there will be a flame-thrower and you'll lose the game. Don't waste too much practice time preparing for that as it's not the best use of your time. Even if you work on it for months, you probably get a few girls able to hit a ground out and you still lose that game. I'd rather spend the time on defense.

 

[all_inFP]

@uncdrew pretty much summed it up. We had our girls (10U B) hitting 53 consistently off the machine because we thought they were overwhelmed with the speed at the plate. Hasn't helped in our early spring tournaments. Just meant they could time up the machine. I have tried all the cues (stride to her when she strides to you, its a strike till its not....) we just need more reps from a live pitcher throwing that speed.

It's all about the reps.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Turn the machine all the way up as fast as it can go. Have batters just stand in the box and "see the ball". When you turn it down to 50 mph it looks slow. Also, always try to mimic the windmill action by holding one ball in each hand. Takes practice but if you get the timing right it looks more like live pitching.

 

[NJSwampdragons]

in our area, the very fastest 10u pitchers can get into low 60s, but it is rare (like a couple in the state). most bracket 10u pitchers are in the low to mid 50s.

Outside of a generational talent, I don’t think 10-U pitchers are throwing in the 60s. 60mph at 35ft is the equivalent of like a 104mph MLB fastball.

I was just at a 10-U tournament with the top teams in the Northeast (from 5 states) where they had a pitching speed contest and the top speed was 51mph by a girl from Virginia.