Why is On Plane important?

An efficient swing gets On Plane early and stays On Plane as it approaches impact. In an efficient swing, the hitter wants to build as much forward Bat Speed On Plane as possible, to maximize functional Bat Speed at impact.

Swinging the bat On Plane is one of the most important skills necessary to becoming a high level hitter. It is also one of the most variable swing components when comparing hitters. An efficient swing is one in which the hitter gets the barrel On Plane very early and deep in the swing path, which allows them to better optimize acceleration of the barrel through the strike zone. Changes in swing plane are the direct result of changes in arm and wrist kinematics relative to the Body Rotations. The better the hitter is at minimizing these variable arm/wrist degrees of freedom, the longer the hitter's bat will be On Plane. In a connected swing, the hitter will read the pitch early and make adjustments through the core and body instead of the arms and wrist in order to align the swing plane with the pitch location.