Stepping out generally begins because of fear of the ball and may continue later simply because of habit. To help correct this habit, place a glove or something flat to the left of the hitter’s stride area (for right-handers), so they know when they are stepping out.

If they realize they are stepping out and continue doing it, they may have a balance problem. Have them lift their front heel off the ground during their stance and stride. This will help them keep their weight forward toward the plate.

If fear is a factor, it is important to convince the player that he is safer when striding straight at the pitcher than when bailing out. The proper movement of the batter when a ball is thrown at him is to turn inward toward the plate and then toward the catcher (while dropping his head if the pitch is high). This protects his head and chest (the two dangerous places to get hit). Bailing out opens the hitter up and usually results in exposing the chest and head to the ball.

Coaching Tip
To reduce fear and build confidence, have the player practice hitting with softer safety balls, polyballs (hollow wiffle balls), or golf-sized wiffle balls.