Which Type Of Baseball Batting Stance Should A Youth Hitter Use?

By Charles "Popcorn" Thompson

There are (3) three basic fundamental hitting stances in baseball, the open, the closed, and the square stance. Hitters choose their batting stances for different reasons. Many youth baseball hitters choose their favorite MLB player's batting stance to use. Not a good idea in many cases because some MLB players have extreme batting stances which were developed over many years. Extreme batting stances can make for some extreme adjustments. MLB players have the time to work on making the necessary adjustments while youth players are just not afforded with that kind of time.

When I am giving private hitting lessons, students are taught to step straight ahead towards the pitcher (square). If the batting stance is extremely open or extremely closed, it can be very difficult to get to square (stepping straight towards the pitcher).

What is an "open" batting stance in baseball?
When a hitter steps into the batter's box and the back foot is closer to home plate than the front foot, the batting stance is considered open. The baseball world is starting to see the open stance at every level. I watch a lot of baseball, from youth league baseball to major league baseball and the open stance has gravitated into every level. I don't have a problem with some high school (not all), college or pro hitters using the open batting stance because they understand how to step from open to square (stepping straight towards the pitcher) without upsetting their timing. However, most youth baseball hitters (and coaches) don't have that same understanding.

What is a "closed" batting stance in baseball?
When the front foot is closer to home plate than the back foot, the stance is considered as closed. Some coaches instruct hitters to close their stance to stop the hitter from "stepping out" during an at-bat. If it works for the hitter, fine. The name of the game is to help hitters become sucessful at the plate,right? But remember, closing the stance to keep a hitter from "stepping out" might not work for every hitter. No, let me re-phrase that, it will not work for every hitter.

What is a "square" batting stance in baseball?
When both feet are an equal distance from home plate, the stance is considered square.

Which batting stance do I prefer for youth hitters in baseball? 
I like to keep things simple and easy to understand for my students and players. I prefer to teach the square batting stance to youth hitters. I believe the square batting stance is the most fundamental hitting stance to teach youth hitters. One of the advantages of the square stance is that the hitter can step straight ahead without thinking about finishing open or closed. Not having to think about going from open to square, or closed to square gives a youth hitter one less thing to think about.

The open batting stance can promote stepping "in the bucket" for youth hitters who don't understand that they should step square (straight towards the pitcher). When they step straight ahead in the open stance, the step is really towards the short stop or third baseman for a right-handed batter. Ever wonder why so many coaches yell to the batter that they are "pulling" their head out? If a right-handed hitter steps towards the short stop or third baseman, what do you think is going to happen to his front-side? Right, it is going to go early causing the head to "pull" out.

Keep it simple and teach youth baseball hitters the square batting stance!

Fundamental Hitting: How Wide Should The Feet Be In The Stance?

By Charles "Popcorn" Thompson

Fundamental hitting in baseball starts with a good, solid stance. Hitters should always feel strong and comfortable in the batter's box. Hearing coaches tell hitters in baseball that their feet are too wide in the batter's box makes me cringe. Some coaches think that hitters can't get their hips through if their feet are wide. Would you tell Albert Pujols that his feet are too wide. I don't think so. Pujols has no problem getting his hips through. The width of a hitter's feet in the batter's box should be determined by where the hitter's stride-foot lands naturally.

How Wide Should The Feet Be In The Stance?
Before you get the urge to tell a hitter in baseball that his feet are too wide or too narrow, watch the hitter take a few swings from a good fundamental baseball hitting stance. Pay close attention to where his stride-foot lands. If the stride-foot is landing in the same place, take a measurement or just have the hitter bring his stride-foot back about 3 - 6 inches from where it landed. That is how wide a hitter's feet should be in a good fundamental baseball hitting stance. It truly is that simple!

Why should the feet come back about 3 - 6 inches?
From a good fundamental hitting stance in baseball, the hitters stride should not be more than six inches. Striding less than three inches is okay. No stride at all is fine too. In order to start the swing, the stride-foot must be down. In fact, it is impossible to start the hands to the baseball before the stride-foot hits the ground. Just try it yourself. When I give baseball hitting lessons I make the hitters aware of this fact. When they face a fast pitcher, they understand that the adjustment to make is to get the stride-foot down a little earlier and they won't be late on the pitch. Most young baseball hitters are late in the baseball swing because they don't get the stride-foot down soon enough, not because their hands aren't quick enough. And if the stride is too long, it will certainly cause the hitter to be late.