Pitching Command Definition

How to define and measure pitching command

Before we start to think about developing pitching command, we first have to define what command is so that we can measure it. First, we have to distinguish between command and control.

Pitching Control : The definition of pitching control is the ability to throw pitches inside the strike zone.
That’s it, balls and strikes measures control. A pitcher with control can throw in the strike zone, but doesn’t necessarily have the ability to know where in the strike zone the ball will land.

Pitching Command : The definition of pitching command is the ability to throw the ball where you choose, in or out of the strike zone.
Sometimes the ideal location for a pitch is out of the strike zone. This is the skill that a real pitcher has.

Levels of Pitching Command : We further define pitching command into levels of command based on the size of the command area chosen for the development of pitchers. Because a middle school pitcher isn’t going to have the same level of command as an MLB pitcher.
We define pitching command levels based on the ability to throw a pitch inside a single or multiple 5"x7" rectangles. That size was chosen because 3 rectangles across, and 3 rectangles vertically fits perfectly into the universal strike zone for a 73” batter.

For Command Trakker Pro, we set the 9 green numbered rectangles as the strike zone, and then set the 16 gray lettered rectangles to represent the shadow zone. The size of th strike zone is based on the Universal Strike Zone for a 73” batter.

At Command Trakker, we’ve created 6 standardized command level tests by pitcher age/skill level. They’re ready-made and come built in to the library of scripted bullpens that come with the Command Trakker app.

Definition of pitching command levels

Pitching Command Target Baseball smart pitching target

Pitching net

Command Trakker Pitching Command Levels

0-20%   Command – Well Below Average

21-30% Command – Below Average

31-40% Command – Average

41-50% Command – Above Average

51% +   Command – Well Above Average

 

Numbers are Strike zone, Letters are shadow zone.

 

 

Pitching net

Middle School

Command Area

Level 1

 

 

Pitching net

Fresh/Soph High School Command Area

Level 2

 

 

Pitching net

Junior/Senior High School Command Area

Level 3

 

 

Pitching net

College

Command Area

Level 4

 

 

 

Pitching net  Pitching net

MiLB Command Area

(4 squares any location)

Level 5

 

 

Pitching net  Pitching net

MLB Command Area

(1 square any location)

Level 6

 


Use these standardized tests for pitching command levels to benchmark pitchers, compare pitchers and measure their improvement. You can’t know if pitching command improved until you can measure it. With them you will have a quantified number to know a pitcher’s command level.

 

For example, if you have pitcher A throw a group of pitches to the command level 5 area, and they hit the area with 45% of the pitches, then we say that “pitcher A is command level 5 - above average”.

 

In the Command Trakker Pro target, green rectangles are the strike zone, and gray are the shadow zone. If you’re only working on pitching control, it’s an easy way to track pitching control by using the green rectangles. When working on command, then the selected command areas are highlighted in orange.

Brought to you by Command Trakker Pro, the AI-powered professional-grade baseball smart pitching target that MLB teams and top D1 programs rely upon for automated measurement and training of pitching control, pitching command, and pitch sequencing. Train to make better baseball pitches.

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Command Trakker app works with Command Trakker smart pitching targets and any 9 pocket pitching net.

Pitching Command Target Baseball smart pitching target Pitching Command Target Baseball smart pitching target