An Inside Look Into A College At Bat Preparation

When does your preparation start for your upcoming at bat? What does it look like? Everyone has their own routine, but how can we maximize it even more? That’s up to you to answer, but here is a closer look into my routine when I played at Arizona State.

Getting into the right mindset before I would go up to bat started when I was two hitters before the on-deck hitter. My first step in my routine was sitting on the bench and controlling my breathing. It put me in the present moment and put me in a calmer mindset. This is the time where I would visualize myself getting a hit, hitting the pitch I wanted hard, and having a good at bat. I visualized success. There were no distractions during this time.

Then when the next hitter was up, I would go to the edge of the dugout and get my timing. I would see the ball out of the pitcher’s hand and have a mental at bat, emphasizing being on time. I would finalize my hitting plan so I had complete intention and purpose when I was ready to hit.

Then when the next hitter was up, it was time to be in the on-deck circle, then ultimately up to bat. The point is, when I was up to bat, I was already in a good mindset and ready to compete, but it started a few hitters ago.

So, how can you maximize your in game hitting routine that will help you be in a competitive mindset before you step in the box?