A baseball pitcher's goal is to ensure that hitters make an out. Pitchers want to avoid throwing the ball over the middle of the plate so it will be harder for the batter to hit the ball hard. By pitching to the four corners of the strike zone, a pitcher can significantly increase his chances of getting the batter out.
Step 1
Learn the strike zone at a young age to understand why the four corners are hard for hitters to hit. The strike zone in baseball ranges from the letters on the jersey to the knees, with the plate being the horizontal boundary. It is important to note that this range changes because of the different height and stances of each batter.
Step 2
Ensure that your catcher sets up his mitt based on the corner you are aiming for. Your catcher's glove should provide an aiming point for each pitch and therefore they should move instead of simply setting up behind the heart of the plate.
Step 3
Practice hitting the four corners of the strike zone in practice to make it second nature. Former pro baseball pitcher Steven Ellis suggests getting a canvas catching device to throw by yourself or simply making your own plate and target to practice on.
Step 4
Learn how your pitches move to ensure that they end up in one of the four corners. Often pitchers will have their pitches tail across the plate so it's important to be able to make adjustments. You don't want to leave balls outside or down the middle of the plate.
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