Hold the baseball such that the curves of the seams are close to your palm, with one on top and one on the bottom of your palm. For right-handed people, place your middle finger on the right seam on top, and your thumb on the left seam on bottom. Lefties should do the opposite.
The basic curveball grip is easy for experienced hitters to spot even during the windup. Practice hiding your grip so your curveballs are harder to read.
A basic, four seam fastball will have your middle and pointer fingers on top of the ball on the seam that runs left and right across the ball when the ball is facing you. Your thumb should be directly on the smooth leather of the bottom of the ball, in between the seams. [4] X Research source
Snap quickly from top to bottom, rather than moving your hand in an arc across your body. When you release the ball, rotate your thumb up and your middle finger down, as though you were going to snap your thumb and middle finger together. The ball will move in the direction your middle finger is pointing.
The “front” of the ball refers to the part that will be traveling away from you when thrown, while “rear” refers to the part of the ball facing you after the ball is thrown. For right-handed people, place your middle finger on the right seam on top, and your thumb on the left seam on bottom. Lefties should do the opposite. Use your index finger to point at the target. As with the basic curve, you should be using your index finger to point at where you wish to throw the ball. This time, though, it’ll also be steadying your middle finger.
If you have difficulty hiding your pitch before the wind up, you may want to position your ball as deeply in your mitt as possible before taking your grip on the ball.
As you release the ball, rotate your thumb upward and your middle finger downward, as though you were snapping your thumb and middle finger together. [9] X Research source
A 12-6 curve ball will break downward more sharply. Place your index and middle fingers between the seams, and your thumb on the bottom of the ball. Do an abbreviated snap as you throw, or release the ball as your hand passes your head instead of following the arm motion all the way through. To account for the sharp break, throw a 12-6 a bit higher than you would a normal curve ball. A 10-4 curve ball will start up and close to the hitter, then break low and away. Start your grip as you would for a traditional curve ball then slide your index and middle fingers downward a bit, toward your thumb. Place the majority of the pressure on your middle finger, and turn your wrist outward from your body as you throw.
For right-handed people, place your middle finger on the right seam on top, and your thumb on the left seam on bottom. Lefties should do the opposite. Getting comfortable with a knuckle curve ball grip can take practice. Acclimate yourself to how it feels by practicing the grip, without throwing, when you have downtime. This kind of curveball is considered more advanced than other kinds. Don’t be discouraged if it takes some time to master. [10] X Research source
