The Best In-Season Hitting Mindset

One of the first questions I will ask hitters when I start working with them is, how do you define success as a hitter? 

These are the answers I get: 

Well, most of the time, I get silence for several seconds because they’ve never thought of that before. 

Then they usually answer it with one of the following:

“Get a hit”

“Get on base”

“Consistent AB

“Work the count” 

“Square up the ball” 


Here’s the problem with all of those. 

You can’t control them. 

 
Those are all good outcomes. 

But we don’t want to focus on the outcome. 

We want to focus on the process that makes the outcome. 

 
Let’s view that as success.

Here’s a quick story that most college hitters are going through right now. 

 
I had a college hitter reach out to me lately and we started talking about hitting. 

 
He was telling me about how his season was going and that he was frustrated because he knew he should be hitting better. 

 
After we started talking for a while I asked him a question: 

How do you define success as a hitter? 

His answer: 

 
“Well I know if I’m starting and I don’t get a hit that game, I won’t be playing in the next one, so…I guess it’s get a hit” 

Yikes. 

 
You know what I told him?

You’re right. 

You probably won’t play the next game if you don't get a hit. 

However, do you want to increase the chances you get a hit? 

“Uhh…Yes?”

Great, now let’s change how you view success as a hitter.

Here’s the best way to define success as a hitter:

What are 2-3 things you can ALWAYS control each AB that will lead to an outcome that will help your team? 

Several examples:  

• Be on time  
• Stayed relaxed
• Stick to my plan 
• Be aggressive, not passive
• Swing at a pitch over the plate  

Now, we’re starting to get somewhere.

Pick 2-3 of those that will benefit the hitter. 

If a hitter is already overly aggressive, then we don’t them to think that’s success. 

 
But, for a player who is very tentative and defensive in the box, that could be a perfect way for them to define success.

This takes time for hitters to buy into because they’ve been programmed to be outcome-oriented. 

 
Just like we all have. 

So that means, as a coach you have to instill those changes in them. 

 
And more importantly, applaud them when they execute. 

I know if someone from the public came into my cage, they might scratch their head depending on the player who is in there.

 
I have certain hitters who overthink and are passive, and I will praise them for swinging at pitches with intent, even if they're balls. 

 
I don’t care. 

 
Because, I know that if they continue to be aggressive, they will eventually be able to make better swing decisions because they're in a better headspace to make those changes. 

 
They’re so worried about doing something wrong, that they don’t do anything at all. 

 
So all we’re doing is removing the fear of them doing anything wrong. 

 
So for one very passive player, I told him:

 
“The goal is to swing with intent, not hit the ball”

 
I know that sounds crazy, but I don’t care.

 
The point is to get the hitter to produce, not sound smart. 

Those are a few examples of something you can control. 

Here’s the most important part of all of this though…

You, as the coach, have to explain the why to the player. 

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