How to Throw Wiffle Ball Pitches

Stance and Grip

Position your thumb and other fingers on opposite sides of the ball. Most pitches rely on a hand position that is much like a standard fastball grip in baseball. Imagine that the Wiffle ball is divided into 2 halves by an equator-like line. Make a “C” with your thumb and index finger, then position your hand directly over this line. Close your middle finger around the ball, too, and straddle the equator line with both your index and middle fingers. Be sure to keep your thumb on the opposite side. Depending on the type of pitch you want to throw, you can angle the ball’s holes to the left, right, top, or bottom. If you partially or fully cover up any of the holes, keep in mind that you’ll change the rotation and angle of the ball.

Keep your dominant leg bent behind you as you prepare for your pitch. If you’re a right-handed pitcher, you’ll want to keep your right leg behind you and your left leg forward. Start by planting your feet about shoulder-width apart, then step your left leg forward. Take 1 step to the left with your front foot to make your stance more sturdy. You’ll do the opposite if you’re a left-handed pitcher. Lift up your back heel and add a slight bend to your back knee to give your pitch more power. Stay loose and keep a slight bend in your front leg as well.

Experiment with overhand, underhand, and sidearm pitches. Depending on the effect you want your pitch to have, you can throw the ball in any of these 3 methods. Raise your arm above your head and release the ball over your head for an overhand pitch. Swing your arm out to the side and let the ball go at waist-height for a sidearm pitch, or slightly higher for a 3/4 pitch. Swing your arm down low and release the ball below your hips for an underhand pitch. Whichever technique you use, keep your eyes focused on your target and avoid throwing the ball diagonally across your chest. It’s natural to want to do this, given the momentum in your body, but try to direct the ball as straight out from your body as possible. Focus on your technique and location before trying to improve your speed. Once you get a good pitching mechanics, that will allow you to be more efficient and get the most out of your body.

Rotate your hips as you follow through on your pitch. It’s important to keep your body loose so you don’t strain anything or deliver a rigid pitch. As you move your arm forward and release the ball from your hand, allow the hip in line with your pitching arm to shift forward. Feel free to allow your back foot to drag forward, too, as your hip shifts forward. If you’re delivering a powerful or fast pitch, go with the momentum and lift up your back leg.

Stay light on your feet so you don’t strain your joints during the pitch. If you have a lot of momentum in your body after the pitch, you’ll need to pivot slightly on the ball of your front foot as your back leg comes off the ground and your hip rotates forward. A stiff, grounded stance might lead to an injury.

Basic Pitches

Throw a slider by aiming the holes to your right, if you’re right-handed. Start by making a “C” with your index finger, middle finger, and thumb. Get these 3 fingers into position around the ball. If you're a right-handed pitcher, rotate the ball so the holes point toward your right side. If you're a left-handed pitcher then point the holes toward your left. Make sure that your hands don't cover any of the openings for this pitch. Throw this right down the middle rather than angling your arm. This is the most common—and possibly the easiest—Wiffle ball pitch.

Position the holes to the left for a screwball, if you’re a right-handed pitcher. Or aim the holes toward the right if you’re a left-handed pitcher. Create a “C” with your index finger, middle finger, and thumb, then place your hands around the ball without covering any of the holes. Let the ball slide off your fingers when you throw it to give it some spin. When throwing this pitch, angle it away from the batter, across your body, to accommodate for the break.

Position the holes upward for a straight fastball. With the holes pointed upwards, place your index and middle fingers on the spaces between the holes. Keep your thumb directly below them on the smooth side of the ball so that your hand forms a “C” shape. Make sure you use a relatively loose, flexible grip with your ring finger barely grazing the ball. Modify this by covering up 2 of the holes with your top 2 fingers, and try pitching this at a variety of arm angles. Use a scuffed ball, or a ball you’ve scratched and scored so it has a rougher texture, to throw a more powerful fastball. When practicing this, stand close to your target and start with slow arm movements. Once you’re warmed up, back up farther away from the target and speed up your pitch. This will help avoid an injury.

Turn your grip sideways with the holes facing down for a riser. Make a "C" with your index finger, middle finger, and thumb as you would for a slider, but position your fingers so they’re running parallel to the ground. Keep your pinky and ring fingers to the side or try curling them up in the small circle between the holes where the patent number is printed. Throw this as a sidearm pitch, keeping the release point low. Just before the release point, snap your wrist to get the maximum rise.

Point the holes upwards with a sideways grip for a sinker. This pitch is similar to the riser, but the holes should be pointing up instead of down. Grip your index and middle fingers around 1 side of the ball with your thumb on the other side so your hand forms a “C.” Keep your hands parallel to the ground with the holes facing upwards. Try curling your pinky and ring fingers below the bottom of the ball. Throw this as a sidearm pitch to encourage the ball to sink downward.

Cover up the holes with your middle finger for a 12-6 curveball. Position the ball with the holes facing downward. Grip it with your index and middle fingers close together, but with your middle finger covering about 3 of the holes. Give the ball some topspin by flicking your wrist so your fingers roll off the bottom of the Wiffle ball. Try modifying the position of the ball so the holes face to your right if you’re right-handed for a different effect.

Modified Pitches

Bend your index and middle fingers against the ball for a knuckle pitch. First, arrange your hands into the basic grip for the pitch you want to modify. Modify it by bending your index and middle fingers at the first joint. Place your fingernails flat against the ball and keep these 2 middle knuckles raised up. When you release the ball, allow your top knuckles to push away the Wiffle ball to give it a spin. For example, with a knuckle slider, you’d get a counter-clockwise spin. Don't let your ring and pinky fingers wrap around the ball.

Adjust your follow-through by snapping your wrist for a nasty slider. Position your hands higher on the side with no holes for this pitch. For dramatic movement and a big break, turn your wrist slightly so that the holes face the batter when you follow through. Snap your wrist so your fingers graze the side of the ball when you release it. This will be a slower pitch than a regular slider but the dramatic curve will throw off the batter.

Place your middle finger into a hole for a slider change-up or riser change-up. This works best with a scuffed or cut Wiffle ball. Hold the ball with the holes as you would for a regular slider or riser, then insert the tip of your middle finger into 1 of the holes. Wrap your other fingers and thumb loosely around the ball. Throw a slider change-up over the top if you want to make the ball break left, or try throwing it at 3/4 if you want to add some rise toward the end. Use different arm angles to make the ball break at different spots when throwing a riser change-up.

Hold the holes toward your hand and use a loose grip for a straight change-up. Face the ball’s holes toward your palm and hold the ball with a secure grip. Just be sure not to cover the holes heavily with your fingers or palm. Hold the ball with just your index and middle fingers, or add your ring and pinky fingers to the grip to modify this pitch. Throw this forcibly as you would with a fastball, but whip the ball out of your hand at the end with a snap of your wrist. The goal of a change-up is to trick the batter into thinking you’ll pitch a fastball, but the change-up will be a slower pitch.