How to Raise Your Batting Average

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Former MLB player Jack Perconte Teaching Hitting

It is true that major league players, who get two hits for every ten at-bats, go back to the minor leagues and those, who get three hits ever ten at-bats, are superstars. What a difference just one hit every ten at-bats make. All baseball players want to hit for a high batting average and the obvious way to do this is continually working on good, fundamental baseball swings.  Of course, other things help maintain a high batting average, too. All high-average major league hitters practice and control other aspects of hitting that help increase their batting averages. Practicing and stressing the importance of the following can help all players increase their batting averages, too.

Players, who do the following, give themselves the best chance of raising their batting averages:

1. Improve running speed – beating out a few extra ground balls will make a big difference. In this regard, maintaining balance throughout the swing and “busting it” out of the batter’s box will help players get those extra base hits, too.
2. Learn to bunt correctly – being able to put down a few base hits via the bunt will make a difference, especially when players are struggling with their swing or timing.
3. Improve knowledge of the strike zone – chasing bad pitches and not taking walks will hurt players’ averages. Stressing the importance of only swinging at strikes in batting practice is necessary coaching advice.
4. Learn personal strengths and weaknesses – hitters who know what pitches they hit best will have better success, especially early in the count.
5. Watch the opposing pitcher – having an idea of the pitcher’s speed, control and tendencies is also good hitting advice.
6. Learn to hit the ball to all fields – this one is obvious and easier said than done, of course.
7. Focus on hitting the ball back through the middle with two strikes. Choking up and cutting down on the swing with two strikes seems to be a thing of the past but hitters, who think up the middle, will avoid strikeouts more often, which leads to more hits.
8. Maintain a positive attitude, have a short memory, and do not get down on self – many hitters are defeated before their next at-bat or next game because they forget these three things.

As mentioned, many of these take care of themselves when hitters develop good, fundamental swings. There is no substitute for good fundamentals to maintain a high batting average.