Tee Drill to Eliminate Hitch in Baseball & Softball Swing

Struggling with a hitch that steals power and consistency? This step‑by‑tee drill forces your hands to stay inside and your hips to lead, giving you a cleaner, faster swing in just a few minutes.

The hitch appears as a tiny dip or loop in the hands just before contact, causing the barrel to wander off‑line. When the hands cast out, the hips‑hands‑bat sequence breaks and bat speed leaks away. You end up using only your arms, losing power and spraying the ball.

How the Tee Drill Fixes a Hitch

The drill uses a standard batting tee set at mid‑thigh height, with the ball positioned just below your belt buckle. Pick a small dot or seam on the back of the ball and aim to hit that exact spot with the sweet spot of the bat. Keeping the barrel pointed at that point forces the hands to stay inside and the hips to lead, producing solid contact and restoring the hip‑lead sequence.

1. Set the tee at a height where the ball sits just below your belt buckle.
2. Take your normal grip and stance, but relax your shoulders.
3. Focus on the spot on the ball. Visualize the bat’s sweet spot meeting that exact point.
4. Swing slow at first, making sure your hands stay close to your body and your hips turn before your hands snap.
5. Check the contact—if you hit the spot, you’ll feel a solid thump and the ball will fly straight. If you feel vibration in your hands, you likely hit off‑center.
6. Repeat for ten to fifteen swings, then take a break and do it again.

The biggest mistake I saw early on was letting my front hip fly open too soon. That made my hands cast out and created the hitch. By concentrating on keeping my back hip driving toward the pitcher and my hands staying inside the ball, the loop disappeared. After a few days of this short drill, my swing felt more like a piston—hips, then hands, then bat—no extra wiggle. I started hitting the ball harder with less effort, and my confidence at the plate crept back up, delivering noticeable gains in bat speed.

If you try this, keep it simple. Don’t worry about how far the ball goes; just watch where it comes off the bat. When you start hitting that spot consistently, the hitch will fade on its own.

Give it a try at your next practice, take a few slow swings, and notice where the ball leaves the bat. If it helps you, maybe share it with a teammate who’s dealing with the same thing.

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