By far, the most common way to hit faster pitching is to get bigger, stronger, faster so that your bat speed and ability to control the bat are as strong as possible. Going to heavy bats will have the effect of increasing strength leading to long term gains, but in reality being able to man-handle a lighter bat will yield better results.
The lesser popular option is to deeply study hitting mechanics, teach kids to turn the barrel while properly coiling and resisting (highly recommended).
The reason the former will always be king is because, it is just too darn hard to do the latter in mass... However if you can keep a core group together long enough to get them all turning the barrel and coiling/resisting, you will have a strong hitting team regardless of the level of athleticism. Adding athleticism will only make your team stronger.
Lastly, the primary method used by the best coaches in the country is to recruit better
... In all seriousness though, if you are a coach who can teach mechanics, it's better to recruit the most athletic kids that you can get and then teach them properly while taking some knocks early in the season.
Be weary of kids with below to average running speeds for their size. Many can have glute engagement issues that will most likely end their careers earlier than they would prefer.
The lesser popular option is to deeply study hitting mechanics, teach kids to turn the barrel while properly coiling and resisting (highly recommended).
The reason the former will always be king is because, it is just too darn hard to do the latter in mass... However if you can keep a core group together long enough to get them all turning the barrel and coiling/resisting, you will have a strong hitting team regardless of the level of athleticism. Adding athleticism will only make your team stronger.
Lastly, the primary method used by the best coaches in the country is to recruit better
... In all seriousness though, if you are a coach who can teach mechanics, it's better to recruit the most athletic kids that you can get and then teach them properly while taking some knocks early in the season.Be weary of kids with below to average running speeds for their size. Many can have glute engagement issues that will most likely end their careers earlier than they would prefer.
