A Step-by-Step Guide to Throwing the Perfect Curveball

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Learn how to pitch basic, straight, and knuckle curveballs
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So, you want to learn how to throw a curveball—we don’t blame you! This classic baseball pitch is great for throwing strikes and psyching out your opponent. But how do you grip the ball to throw a curveball? In this article, we’ll take you through the process of holding and throwing a curveball step-by-step. We even spoke to baseball coaches Isaac Hess and Jim Price to give you the best advice possible. So, keep reading to learn how to throw the 3 best types of curveballs.

Throwing a Curveball 101

  1. Place your middle finger on the bottom seam and your thumb on the back seam.
  2. Hold the ball so the curves of the seams are at the top and bottom of your palm.
  3. Hide your grip on the ball in your glove so the batter won’t see the pitch coming.
  4. Wind up by bringing your non-dominant hand to your chest and stepping forward.
  5. Throw the ball with a snap, keeping your wrist stiff as your arm makes a karate chop motion.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Throwing a Basic Curveball

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    As Price instructs, place your middle finger along the bottom seam of the baseball and your thumb along the back seam. Leave your index finger off the ball. [1] Hold the baseball such that the curves of the seams are close to your palm, with one on top and one on the bottom of your palm. [2]
    • As Hess advises, for right-handed people, place your middle finger on the top right seam and your thumb on the bottom left seam. Lefties, do the opposite. [3]
    • Instead of using your index finger to grip the ball, you'll be using it to point at where you want the ball to go.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    If the hitter knows you're about to throw a curveball, they'll be prepared for the change in speed and drop. Hide your pitch until you wind up to throw it to surprise them. [4] Cover your hand gripping the ball with your glove, so no one on the other team can see what you’re about to throw.
    • The basic curveball grip can be easy for experienced hitters to spot, even during the wind-up. Practice hiding your grip so your curveballs are harder to read.
    • Similarly, you can also hide the ball by angling your body differently before you throw the pitch. [5]
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    Place your dominant foot on the rubber. Lift your opposite knee and rotate your hips forward as you throw the ball. Level your elbow with or above your arm, bent at a 90-degree angle. This is similar to how you’d throw a traditional fastball . [6]
    • A basic, four-seam fastball will have your middle and pointer fingers on top of the ball on the seam that runs left and right across the ball when the ball is facing you. For a fastball, your thumb is directly on the smooth leather of the bottom of the ball, in between the seams.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    Snap the release to throw the pitch . Keep your palm facing inward towards your body, and release the ball as your arm extends and you step forward with the opposite foot. As your arm comes down from the throw, bring it toward your opposite hip. [7]
    • Snap quickly from top to bottom rather than moving your hand in an arc across your body. The harder the snap, the more bite or action you'll have on the ball.
    • When you release the ball, rotate your thumb up and middle finger down as though you were going to snap your thumb and middle finger together. The ball will move in the direction your middle finger is pointing.
    • Never twist your wrist when throwing a curveball. Keep your wrist stiff. When releasing, rotate your arm downward as if doing a karate chop or shaking someone’s hand. [8]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    As Hess says, practicing is the best way to improve your ability with a curveball. [9] Master the basic curveball and its form before you move on to more complicated versions. Remember, the spinning action of the throw is achieved by gripping the ball without pressure from the index finger and snapping as the ball is released. Keep this movement in mind as you throw, and keep practicing to get it just right.
    • When practicing curveballs, focus more on its curve than throwing a strike. Once you've mastered the curve, you can work on accuracy.
    EXPERT TIP

    Isaac Hess

    Baseball Coach & Instructor
    Isaac Hess is a Baseball Coach, Instructor, and the Founder of MADE Baseball Development and Champion Mindset Training Program, a baseball training program based in Los Angeles, California. Isaac has over 14 years of experience coaching baseball and specializes in private lessons and tournaments. He has played baseball for both professional and collegiate leagues including Washington State University and the University of Arizona. Isaac was ranked as one of Baseball America's top 10 prospects for 2007 and 2008. He earned a BS in Regional Development from the University of Arizona in 2007.
    Isaac Hess
    Baseball Coach & Instructor

    Focus on your attitude and having a good mindset. You can't try to be like big leaguers in every aspect when you first start out. Remember, even the pros had to start somewhere! There's a lot of failure when it comes to baseball, but you can approach the game with a positive mindset.

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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Pitching a Straight Curveball

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    Grasp the ball with the bottom seam between your index and middle fingers, and place your thumb along the back seam. Hold the baseball so that the curves of the seams are close to your palm, with one on top front and one on bottom rear of the ball. [10]
    • The “front” of the ball refers to the part traveling away from you when thrown, while the “rear” refers to the part facing you after the ball is thrown.
    • For right-handed people, place your middle finger on the right seam on top and your thumb on the left seam on the bottom. If you’re left-handed, do the opposite.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    As with most pitches, make sure your grip isn't visible to the other team. [11] Hide your hand behind your glove until you wind up to throw the pitch. This way, the batter won’t be able to tell what pitch you’re about to throw.
    • If you have difficulty hiding your pitch before the wind-up, try positioning your ball as deeply in your mitt as possible before taking your grip.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    Put your dominant foot on the rubber in a parallel position. Lift your opposite knee and rotate your hips forward as you throw the ball. Level your elbow with or above your arm, bent at a 90-degree angle. [12]
    • Use your index finger to point at the target. As with the basic curveball, use your index finger to point where you want the ball to go. This time, though, it'll also help steady your middle finger.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    Keep your palm facing inward toward your body, and release the ball as you step forward with the opposite foot. As your arm comes down from the throw, snap it toward your opposite hip. [13]
    • As you release the ball, rotate your thumb upward and your middle finger downward, as though you were snapping your thumb and middle finger together.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    If you slightly change the positioning of your fingers, you can change how the ball breaks, confusing the hitter even more. Regular curve balls are known as 12-6 throws because the ball breaks in the angle formed by the 12 and 6 numbers on a clock. [14] Try these variations to make your throw break differently:
    • A 12-6 curveball breaks downward more sharply. Place your index and middle fingers between the seams and your thumb on the bottom of the ball. Release the ball as your hand passes your head instead of following the arm motion all the way through to do an abbreviated snap. To account for the sharp break, throw a 12-6 higher than you would a normal curveball. [15]
    • A 10-4 curveball starts up and close to the hitter, then breaks low and away. Start your grip as you would for a traditional curveball, then slide your index and middle fingers down toward your thumb. Place the majority of the pressure on your middle finger, and turn your wrist outward from your body as you throw. [16]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Throwing a Knuckle Curveball

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    Hold the ball with your middle finger along the bottom seam and your thumb along the back seam. Grasp the baseball so that the curves of the seams are close to your palm, with one on top and one on the bottom. Bend your index finger inward before laying it on the ball, so your nail and top knuckle are resting on the ball and your middle knuckle is pointing at the target. [17]
    • For right-handed people, place your middle finger on the right seam on top and your thumb on the left seam on the bottom. If you’re left-handed, do the opposite.
    • Getting comfortable with a knuckle curveball grip can take practice. Acclimate yourself to how it feels by practicing the grip without throwing the ball. [18]
    • This kind of curveball is considered more advanced than other kinds, so don’t be discouraged if it takes some time to master!
    • Price suggests that this type of pitch can also be called a spike ball and gives you a tighter spin on the pitch. [19]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    As with the straight curve, your index finger points at the target and steadies your middle finger, but the bent knuckle will help give the pitch more torque. Look at the batter and level the ball (and your index knuckle) to them. This will help your ball curve towards them.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    With a knuckle curveball, this is extra important since your finger placement makes it more obvious at a glance. Make sure the ball is deep in your glove before taking hold of it with the knuckle curveball grip.
    • Once you get the hang of the grip, aim to point the ball at the batter or your target while the ball is hidden in your glove. This way, the batter will be even more surprised about the throw. [20]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    Place your dominant foot on the rubber in a parallel position. Then, lift your opposite knee and move your hips forward as you throw the ball. Level your elbow with or above your arm at a 90-degree angle (same as a normal fastball pitch). [21]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Throw a Curveball
    Keep your palm facing toward your body and begin releasing the ball as you step forward with the opposite foot. Let go of the ball shortly after it passes your head. As your hand comes down, snap it toward your opposite hip, twisting your thumb upward and your middle finger downward to put a spin on the ball. [22]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you throw a curveball for a 12 year old?
    Isaac Hess
    Baseball Coach & Instructor
    Isaac Hess is a Baseball Coach, Instructor, and the Founder of MADE Baseball Development and Champion Mindset Training Program, a baseball training program based in Los Angeles, California. Isaac has over 14 years of experience coaching baseball and specializes in private lessons and tournaments. He has played baseball for both professional and collegiate leagues including Washington State University and the University of Arizona. Isaac was ranked as one of Baseball America's top 10 prospects for 2007 and 2008. He earned a BS in Regional Development from the University of Arizona in 2007.
    Isaac Hess
    Baseball Coach & Instructor
    Expert Answer
    You'll want to release the ball as close to your body as you can. This is called "short arming," and will create more resistance between your middle finger and seam, increasing spin and curve.
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  • Question
    What is the best way to throw a curveball?
    Isaac Hess
    Baseball Coach & Instructor
    Isaac Hess is a Baseball Coach, Instructor, and the Founder of MADE Baseball Development and Champion Mindset Training Program, a baseball training program based in Los Angeles, California. Isaac has over 14 years of experience coaching baseball and specializes in private lessons and tournaments. He has played baseball for both professional and collegiate leagues including Washington State University and the University of Arizona. Isaac was ranked as one of Baseball America's top 10 prospects for 2007 and 2008. He earned a BS in Regional Development from the University of Arizona in 2007.
    Isaac Hess
    Baseball Coach & Instructor
    Expert Answer
    Grip the ball in a certain way on the side of the horseshoe. There is no one right way there; you can have multiple grips. The back of your hand is going to face out. So if I'm a lefty, it's going to face to the left when I'm at release, and the palm is going to be right. It's going to be as if I'm pulling down and shaking cans or pulling down a light, if there's a string that pulls a light lamp.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 5 Helpful 4
  • Question
    Do I need to throw a curveball fast?
    Community Answer
    No, curveballs are supposed to have movement. Usually it is the movement that confuses hitters, not the speed (which is why they are called off-speed pitches).
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      Tips

      • The closer you snap your wrist to your body, the straighter and sharper your curveball will be.
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      • When throwing a curve, it may help to think of your arm motion similar to hammering a nail.
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      • If you’re left-handed and pitching a curveball, rotate your hip toward third base when you throw.
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      Warnings

      • Throwing a curveball for a long period can hurt your arm. For instance, a 12-6 curveball puts a lot of stress on the UCL or ulnar collateral ligament in your elbow. [23]
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      • Do not twist your arm to throw a curve, as this could hurt your humerus bone.
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      • While some say to avoid throwing a curveball until you’re at least 15 years old, as it could hinder muscular development, no current scientific evidence supports this claim. [24]
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      References

      1. ↑ Jim Price. Baseball Coach. Expert Interview. 22 July 2022.
      2. ↑ https://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com/HowtoThrowaCurveball.html
      3. ↑ Isaac Hess. Baseball Coach & Instructor. Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.
      4. ↑ https://danblewett.com/hiding-the-ball-pitching/
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/u5qwzF0IzjI?t=15
      6. ↑ https://www.baseball.ca/pitching-mechanics
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/4QHi2a_NPXo?t=644
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/4QHi2a_NPXo?t=503
      9. ↑ Isaac Hess. Baseball Coach & Instructor. Expert Interview. 20 March 2020.
      1. ↑ https://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com/HowtoThrowaCurveball.html
      2. ↑ https://danblewett.com/hiding-the-ball-pitching/
      3. ↑ https://www.baseball.ca/pitching-mechanics
      4. ↑ https://betterpitching.com/curveball-release-pronation-high-speed-video/
      5. ↑ https://probaseballinsider.com/baseball-instruction/fundamentals-of-hitting/types-of-baseball-pitches/
      6. ↑ https://betterpitching.com/how-to-throw-a-12-6-curveball-3-musts/
      7. ↑ https://yougoprobaseball.com/deadly-curveball-tutorial-learn-3-nasty-ways-throw-effective-curve-curveball-grips/
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/yzlaoCqZ6uk?t=17
      9. ↑ https://elitebaseballperformance.com/learn-how-to-throw-a-curveball/
      10. ↑ Jim Price. Baseball Coach. Expert Interview. 22 July 2022.
      11. ↑ https://danblewett.com/hiding-the-ball-pitching/
      12. ↑ https://youtu.be/yzlaoCqZ6uk?t=25
      13. ↑ https://betterpitching.com/curveball-release-pronation-high-speed-video/
      14. ↑ https://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com/HowtoThrowaCurveball.html
      15. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6874692/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To throw a traditional curveball, grip the ball with your middle finger resting against the bottom seam of the ball where it curves back into a circular pattern. You can also grip the ball with your index and middle finger resting parallel to the seams at their narrowest point if you find that more comfortable. Use your normal pitching mechanics and do not change anything about the size of your kick or the path of your arm to disguise the pitch and keep batters from identifying the pitch ahead of time. As you’re delivering your throwing arm forward, instead of releasing the ball with your index and middle fingers behind the ball, turn your wrist at a slight angle so that your index and middle finger are almost on top of the ball. Follow through in the same way you normally would for any other pitch. If you find yourself constantly throwing the ball out too high, try shortening your forward stride by 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) to force your arm to take a sharper downward path as you release the ball. If you keep throwing your curveballs in the dirt, aim to release the ball fractions of a second faster than you normally would with a fastball. If you can’t seem to get a good snap to the ball, practice playing toss with the curveball grip and wrist path to get used to it. If you want to learn how to throw a knuckle curveball, keep reading the article!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Kyle Supangco

        Jul 23, 2020

        "I am now striking a lot of good players out with my curveball, thanks."
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