In basketball, players drive and attack the rim with both hands, but you rarely see someone take a shot with their off-hand. You’ll never see Patrick Mahomes uncork one left-handed unless he’s scrambling and working his magic.
That’s why becoming a switch-hitter in baseball is so fascinating, which begs the question: when should a baseball player try switch-hitting?
Start When Younger
There isn’t a specific age to begin your journey into ambidexterity, but it’s wise to do it at a young age.
The older you get, the more intuitive your body moments are. Thus, trying to hit left-handed for the first time when you’re 32 isn’t going to work out well.
If you’re younger, you’ll have an easier time wiring your brain into having a quality swing from both sides of the plate because it doesn’t feel funky as you try to deposit one into the right field.
Otherwise, your swing might look as fluid as a Ben Simmons 3-point attempt.
Do Daily Tasks With Your Opposite Hand
Start doing tasks in your daily life with your non-dominant hand to trick your brain. Simple tasks like brushing your teeth or carrying grocery bags will help as you attempt to switch sides of the plate.
At first, you may miss a few spots while brushing your teeth, but it will help ease the transition to the dish.
Consistent Practice
Practice makes perfect, and you must practice a lot to become a quality switch-hitter. You might not hit anything but air on your first 50 swings, even if the ball is on a tee.
Hence, the most critical component of becoming a switch-hitter is having the resiliency to keep going.
Finding a batting stance and swing that feels natural for you will take several days, so don’t give up after a frustrating session on the diamond or in the cage.
Try using different types of bats in your practice, noting the feel and differences when hitting with a heavier bat versus a lighter bat.
Attack the Strike Zone
Hopefully, you’ll keep practicing until you consistently put the bat to the ball. If so, you can move on to the next step of attacking the strike zone and hitting the ball in all directions of the field.
It doesn’t do you any good if you can only make solid contact on a ball that’s low and in. You must have the competency and skill to get base hits on all types of pitches over the field.
Try It In a Game
Once you feel you have fine-tuned your swing from the opposite side, you can try it out in a game.
You might want to wait for the opportune time, like if your team is up or down by double-digit runs, considering there will be growing pains.
But you must find out if all the hard work is paying off, and you can confidently become the next Mickey Mantle.
***
Knowing when a baseball player should try switch-hitting doesn’t have a concrete answer, nor is it necessary to do as a player.
But adding it to your repertoire can separate you from several players who stay on their side of the plate.
