Pitching Grips - How To Throw A Fastball

By Steven Ellis, former pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization

The fastball is the most important pitch in baseball. Your ability to throw it hard and with control will determine your ability to advance to the highest levels of the game.

For this baseball article, however, we're going to focus on the two fastball grips - the four seam fastball and the two seam fastball.

The four seam fastball is typically the fastest pitch, but it's also the straightest. The two seamer will give you a bit more pitch movement, but it is typically 2 to 5 mph slower than the four seam fastball.

I tended to throw four seam fastballs when behind in the count and two seam fastballs with movement when ahead in the count, to get hitters to chase pitches that might be moving out of the zone.

How To Throw A Four Seam Fastball

Four seam fastball grip (front view)

To throw a four seam fastball or four seamer, you want to make sure your grip is soft, like holding an egg in your fingertips. There should be a "gap" or space between the ball and your palm.

The thumb almost bisects the index and middle finger with the horseshoe seam into your ring finger. You want to throw so that the four seams rotate perfectly backward when it leaves your hand.

How To Throw A Two Seam Fastball

Two seam fastball grip (side view)

When throwing a two seam fastball or two seamer, the index and middle fingers are placed directly on the narrow seams, not across them.

Here are a few more fastball grips submitted by readers of The Complete Pitcher...

 
Two seam fastball grip (front view)

Two seam fastball grip (front view)

Two seam fastball grip (side view)

How do you throw your pitches? Post pictures of your pitching grips on my baseball pitching discussion forums.