According to
MLB there are 4 types of pitches: fastball, offspeed, breaking, and knuckleball.
Fastballs The fastball is the most common pitch in baseball, and most pitchers have some form of a fastball in their arsenal. Most pitchers throw four-seam fastballs. It is basically a pitch thrown very fast, generally as hard as a given pitcher can throw while maintaining control. Some variations involve movement or breaking action, while others do not and are simply straight, high-speed pitches. While throwing the fastball, it is very important to have proper mechanics, which will increase the chance of getting the ball to its highest velocity, making it difficult for the opposing player to hit the pitch. The cut fastball, split-finger fastball, and forkball are variations on the fastball with extra movement, and are sometimes called sinking fastballs because of the trajectories. The most common types of fastballs are: •
Cutter •
Four-seam fastball •
Sinker •
Split-finger fastball •
Two-seam fastball Breaking balls Well-thrown breaking balls have movement, usually sideways or downward. A ball moves due to the changes in the pressure of the air surrounding the ball as a result of the kind of pitch thrown. Therefore, the ball keeps moving in the path of least resistance, which constantly changes. For example, the spin from a properly thrown slider, thrown by a right-handed pitcher, results in lower air pressure on the pitcher's left side, resulting in the ball moving to the left, from the pitcher's perspective. The goal is usually to make the ball difficult to hit by confusing the batters. Most breaking balls are considered
off-speed pitches. The most common breaking pitches are: •
12–6 curveball •
Curveball •
Knuckle curve •
Screwball •
Slider •
Slurve Offspeed Offspeed pitches are usually thrown to look like a fastball, but arrive much slower to the plate. Its reduced speed coupled with its deceptive delivery is meant to confuse the batter's timing. Typically, it is thrown with the same pitching motion the same as a fastball but further back in the hand, which makes it release from the hand slower while retaining the appearance of a fastball. A changeup is generally thrown 8–15 miles per hour (13–24 km per hour) slower than a fastball. The most common offspeed pitches are: •
Circle changeup •
Forkball •
Fosh •
Palmball •
Straight changeup •
Vulcan changeup Other pitches Other pitches that are or have been used in baseball are: •
Gyroball •
Junk pitches •
Eephus pitch •
Knuckleball •
Shuuto •
Illegal pitches •
Beanball •
Emery ball •
Shine ball •
Spitball •
Purpose pitches •
Brushback pitch •
Pickoff •
Pitchout ==Pitching deliveries==