Field Batting Practice Is Dead. Here’s How All

Key Points:

• Major league hitters face unprecedented challenges due to increased fastball velocity, rising from 93.2 mph to 94.8 mph over the past decade, and a wider variety of pitch types designed to confuse batters.
• Despite faster pitches, the overall use of fastballs has decreased from 61.5% in 2016 to 54.8% in 2025, replaced by diverse "lab-grown" pitches like sweepers, splitters, and knuckle curves, contributing to historically low batting averages in recent years.
• Hitters increasingly rely on advanced technology such as Trajekt pitching machines, which replicate specific pitchers' deliveries, alongside analytics and video scouting to prepare, though access varies with home teams benefiting more than road teams.
• Players' preparation routines vary widely, with many favoring individualized approaches; some embrace machines and data-driven drills, while others prefer traditional methods like flipped balls or live pitching, highlighting a blend of old-school and new-school techniques.
• The shift away from on-field batting practice is notable, as many players limit swings to preserve swing quality over the long season, using cages outfitted with high-tech equipment to simulate game conditions and refine their approach.