How do I improve On Plane?

All players should understand what their typical On Plane percentage is for a middle-middle (mid-height and middle of plate) pitch. The best way to accomplish this is with tee work with the tee setup in the middle of the plate at an approximate height near the hitter's belt line. In this use case, the hitter should focus on achieving On Plane percentages of 55% or higher.

The best types of drills for improving On Plane percentage are connection drills, which reinforce rotational patterns between the body and hand paths. This often involves constraint drills where the barrel of the bat is constrained to move with the upper body, such as with the back shoulder or back of the neck during the swing. There are also training aids that connect the arms to the Body Rotations during the swing, which help with this.

As the hitter is able to consistently achieve a high On Plane percentage of 55% or higher, they should introduce variability in pitch location into their training program. The goal is to maintain these On Plane percentage values while learning to adjust to pitch locations by altering core and torso movement patterns. Monitoring Vertical Bat Angle with the hitter's On Plane percentage is very valuable from a feedback perspective.