Every pitch has a specific angle that must be hit to barrel it up. It's really just mathematics playing out at contact points.

When I talk to hitters about making adjustments, most of them think in terms of "inside" or "outside" — horizontal location. But elite hitters are processing something far more nuanced. They're adjusting their vertical bat angle based on pitch location, and they're doing it instinctively.

Let's break down what that means.

What Is Vertical Bat Angle?

Vertical bat angle is simply the angle of the bat at contact, measured from horizontal.

• 0° A perfectly flat, level swing (horizontal baseline)
• ~-32° A flatter angle, typical for opposite-field contact
• ~-45° A steeper angle, typical for pulling inside pitches

The Statcast Evidence

Look at Mike Trout's data. When he pulls the ball on inside pitches, his vertical bat angle is closer to -45°. When he goes the other way on outside pitches, it flattens out to around -32°.

That's roughly a 13° difference — and that difference is what separates elite adjustability from one-dimensional hitting.

Same hitter. Different angles. That's what makes him elite.

Pitch Location Rules

Here's the framework:

The Extremes

Every Pitch Has Three Dimensions

This is where it gets interesting. Every pitch has three dimensions your hitter must process:

• 1

  Vertical Plane

  Is it high or low?

• 2

  Horizontal Plane

  Is it inside or outside?

• 3

  Depth

  Where should contact occur? (In front of the foot, even with the foot, or deeper)

Elite hitters process all three dimensions and adjust their vertical bat angle accordingly. Average hitters only think about one or two.

Why Posture Comes First

Here's the coaching takeaway that matters most:

Try this: Stand completely upright and attempt to create a -45° bat angle at contact. You'd have to contort your body unnaturally to make it happen.

Now try it with a 10-15° forward lean toward the plate. Suddenly, the full range of vertical bat angles becomes available to you.

Posture gives you the ability to be adjustable and adaptable. Without it, you're limited to a narrow range of pitches you can actually barrel up.

The Coaching Application

When I work with hitters, I'm not thinking "swing down" or "swing level." I'm thinking about whether they have the postural freedom to create the angle each pitch location demands.

If a hitter keeps popping up outside pitches to the pull side, they're probably bringing a steep angle (-45°) to a pitch that requires a flat angle (-32°). The fix isn't mechanical — it's postural. Give them the freedom to adjust, and the adjustment happens naturally.