How to Grip a Baseball

Learn to execute the four-seam grip, which is ideal for a strong, accurate throw.

The four-seam grip is what you want to use when making a throw during the game. It provides straight carry and accurate ball flight to your target. For a high school athlete, or a player with a bigger hand, the index finger and middle finger should lay across the seams. The player’s thumb will be underneath the bottom seam. For a younger athlete with a smaller hand, they might need to add a third finger (ring finger) on the top seam.

To work on getting the proper grip on the ball, players should start with the ball on the ground. Reach down and grab the ball, quickly rotating it to find the proper four-seam grip. As you do this, you'll move your body and arm into throwing position, aimed at the target.

The next progression is to place the ball in your glove. Physically reach into the glove to find the four-seam grip and then shift your body into a good athletic stance, ready to throw.

The final progression is to work on this during catch play. This is where you really make it like a game situation. When you play catch, you want to take care of the ball. That will prevent errors from happening. As you catch the ball, you'll quickly transfer the ball from your glove to your throwing hand, finding the four-seam grip and getting closed off to make a throw back to your partner.

Using a four-seam grip will create more accuracy on your throws.