When you ask someone about their bat grip the player might have two things pop in his head.
The first one is how to grip a baseball bat and the other is what kind of bat grip product he has on his stick.
Two completely different things but similar in language so let’s differentiate the two more in-depth below and give you examples of how you can improve both.
Without the proper grip on the bat you are doomed to take a bad swing. With slick, cheap, old and worn bat grip tape you’re also not going to get the best swing.
Read this whole article and watch the videos referenced on this page to get a complete understanding of how to grip a baseball bat properly.
How to Grip a Baseball Bat Is Important
I would venture to say most older ball players already know how to grip the baseball bat. We were taught at a young age how to hold a bat either by baseball coaches or parents.
Let’s go back to the basics though for kicks and giggles because I’ve seen players of all ages holding it wrong.
Let me start off by saying you don’t have to put a death grip on the bat. Don’t squeeze so hard because it will be incredibly hard to swing.
Your wrists will lock and you’ll be lucky to get any kind of good swing on the ball.
Stay relaxed because when you swing to hit the ball you will naturally tighten your grip at the right time.
You also don’t want to hold onto it too loosely either or it might fly out of your hands after you swing.
You do want a good, firm grip though. The key in the end is holding it to where you feel the most comfortable.
How Should My Hands Line Up on the Bat?
Your knuckles on your hands should line up in between one another and you bottom hand pinky should either be just above, touching the knob or somewhere in that area.
Many times if you grip the bat and take a swing the position of your hands and knuckles will naturally fall into the most comfortable position.
This is when you bring the bat into the hitting position.
I can’t stress this enough so I’ll say it again.
You don’t have to hold it too tightly. Once you start your swing you will naturally tighten it up and when you contact the ball you won’t let the bat fly down the first base line or third base line.
Take some time and practice your grip. Swing 25 times holding it a different way and find the one that feels the most comfortable. Then you can take live batting practice to see how it works.
Then and only then should you play in a game to try it out in a “real world” situation.
I would even hit off of a quality batting tee when you have the opportunity. Practice will give you the confidence you need going into your next game.
Ways To Improve Your Bat Grip
One way is through baseball bat grip tape
The first way you can improve your bat hold is by protecting your hands at the beginning of each season.
If you aren’t careful you’ll get blisters early on and that will have a negative effect on your season right way and we don’t want that.
This is why I recommend limited batting practice in the first month of the off-season and work your way up until the beginning of the next season.
You may form calluses but that’s okay because they will actually end up helping you from tearing up your hands later on.
The next way to improve your grip is with batting gloves. They protect your hands and create enough friction to actually give you a better grip on the bat.
Which Batting Glove Brands Are Best For Grip?
There are several brands you can buy and I give you some examples below. I personally loved using Franklins when I played but that was my preference. Today there are brands out that weren’t around when I played like Under Armour baseball.
I would always recommend some gloves with real leather. The synthetic stuff doesn’t last long and they don’t feel as comfortable.
I don’t do this with all products but with batting gloves I look at the price tag. If they are real cheap…then they are real cheap.
The final way to improve your grip is by actually buying new bat grip tape that is quality and will last the whole season.
Some brand new bats offer quality grip but there are many bats that offer a synthetic piece of junk that is slick and useless.
There are also instances when you need to upgrade and buy new grip after the season because it’s been torn up or used up. You’ll also see a few examples below.
If you want to learn how to wrap a baseball bat grip tape properly you’ll want to watch a few videos online.
Easton HS3 Batting Gloves
Lizard Skins Bat Grip, Black, 1.1mm
Final Thoughts on How To Grip a Baseball Bat
How to grip a baseball bat properly is just part of “sound mechanics”. This is something you work on during practice and off-season.
You will succeed in baseball hitting with great work ethic, the ability to make adjustments, not being afraid to fail and become a good student of the game.
In review you must remember these tips:
- Line up doorknocking knuckles or use a box grip. Be comfortable.
- Align first fingers (watch video here)
- Make sure trademark of baseball bat faces you (wood bat)
Follow these simple tips and you’re sure to hit the ball better and experience less stinging or discomfort.
The key is to feel relaxed which in turn should make your bat speed quicker.
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