Fastball As the name might imply, a fastball travels at or near top velocity a pitcher can throw the ball. Because the primary focus is on the speed of the pitch, a fastball will have little if any movement, though some types of fastballs will move depending on how the pitcher grips the ball and the liveliness of is arm motion.Variations:

  • Cutter A fastball that curves as it approaches the batter’s box, staying on a level plane while breaking towards the pitcher’s non-throwing shoulder.
  • 2-seam A fastball that tails as it approaches the batter’s box, moving slightly downwards and slicing away from the pitcher’s body.
  • 4-seam A fastball with minimal movement, occasionally rising a bit if it moves at all. The fastest of the fastballs.
  • Running fastball Essentially the same as a 2-seam fastball in terms of tailing motion, however, the running fastball stays on a level plane with no downward movement.
  • Splitfinger Named for its grip, the splitfinger fastball drops as it gets close to the plate, but does not travel as fast as other fastballs.
  • Sinker The sinker also features downward motion but does not drop as drastically or suddenly as the splitfinger, helping it to maintain its speed.

Changeup Designed to look like a fastball, a changeup utilizes the same arm motion but produces a significantly slower moving baseball thanks to an altered grip.Variations:

  • Standard A standard changeup will not move from side to side, intended to mimic a 4-seam fastball in its approach, but may drop, partially due to a lack of velocity.
  • Circle The circle change fools batters by closely resembling a 2 seem fastball, breaking down and away from the pitchers body in a much more exaggerated fashion and at slowed speed.
  • Palm A palmball is literally held in a pitchers palm and is, in most cases, a slightly quicker moving changeup with a noticeable break
  • Fork The forkball is an extreme variation of the splitfinger fastball (fingers are split as far as possible), dropping similar last minute, fall off the earth fasion. Not technically a changeup, but it’s included here because its thrown like a fast ball and moves slower than the similar splitfinger.

Breaking ball Breaking balls are thrown by intentionally snapping the elbow or rotating the hand during a pitcher’s delivery. These pitches will curve, slice or drop in a drastically noticeable fashion while moving at a speed in-between that of fastballs and changeups.Variations:

  • Curveball The standard curveball hooks in towards the pitcher’s body while steadily moving downwards, creating an inward and downward flight path. The 12-6 curve takes its name from the 12 o’clock position and the 6 o’clock position, reminiscent of its sharp and sudden break from top to bottom.
  • Slider A slider breaks more horizontally than the curve ball, with an exaggerated hook and less of a drop.
  • Slurve A combination of the curve and slider with more horizontal break than the standard curve and more vertical break than the standard slider.
  • Screw A screwball slices, whereas the slider hooks, but typically travels on a similar vertical trajectory.

Knuckleball Literally gripped by the knuckles, only God knows where a knuckle ball will wind up, shifting back and forth (or it some instances not shifting at all) with no spin to spin to influence its flight path. The knuckleball is among the slowest pitches in baseball.