The Influence Of Pitch Type (fastball, Curveball, And Change-Up) On The Contralateral Trunk Tilt In Adolescent Pitchers

Baseball participation has grown, with over 15.59 million players aged six and older in 2021. Pitching relies on effective coordination of the kinetic chain to transfer forces and generate ball velocity. While trunk rotation during pitching has been studied, contralateral trunk tilt across pitch types remains underexplored. This study investigated differences in hand velocity, stride length, and contralateral trunk tilt between fastball, curveball, and change-up pitches in 16 adolescent pitchers ages 15-18. Motion data were collected using a seven-camera system interfaced with Theia 3D. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant difference in hand velocity between fastball and change-up (p = 0.035), with no significant differences in stride length (p = 0.236) or trunk tilt (p = 0.782). These findings indicate adolescent pitchers maintain consistent mechanics across pitch types, with hand velocity variations reflecting efforts to disguise pitch type. Efficient energy transfer through the kinetic chain is critical for optimizing performance, further research in live settings is needed to confirm these results.