How To Pitch the Perfect Change Up

A change up is an off-speed pitch and is a critical asset to any competitive pitcher. A change up is meant to trick the batter into thinking a fast pitch is coming but the pitcher throws the ball with exactly the same form except holding it farther back into their hand so the release time is slower. Although there are many variations of change ups, in this blog post we will go over the step by step process you should follow to throw a basic circle change up. There is no "right" change up, just be sure to throw the change up that feels the most comfortable to you or else you will give yourself away to the batter.

First: The Grip

Hold the ball deep in your hand while keeping it loose. Bend your pointer finger and make a circle with your thumb.

Second: Form

When throwing the pitch be sure to keep the same exact form you would throw a fast pitch so you are not giving yourself away to the hitter.

Third: Release

There are two ways to release a circle change up: As the hand approaches the release point, turn it sideways so the finger circle is going directly toward the catcher. Or when you come down with your hand, lead with your wrist and have a slight bend. Make sure to have your wrist facing down so that your pitch does not go up. It is better to have the ball aimed lower to the ground because if it is too high in the strike zone the hitter will have an easier time hitting it.