How to Bunt in Baseball

Everyone loves home runs and hard-hit balls in baseball, but bunting can be a very effective and strategic play in certain situations and is a skill every baseball player should have. By being a good bunter, you can help your team manufacture runs in a tight game.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Turn your hips toward the pitcher as he goes into his windup. Slide your top hand up the bat and hold it out across the plate, angling the bat head slightly up. Make sure your fingers are safely on the back part of the bat, gripping with your thumb and index finger.

2. Adjust the height of your stance to match the height of the pitch, keeping the bat level. Stand up straight to bunt at a high pitch and bend down with your knees to bunt at a low pitch.

3. Guide the direction of your bunt by bringing your bat handle hand in or out. Bunt down the baseline to your left by holding your bat handle hand out and bunt down the baseline to your left by bringing that hand in.

4. Hit the ball by pushing the bat forward into the ball and hitting it into the ground. You don't need to try to put power behind it, as the velocity of the pitch will provide all the energy it needs.

Tips & Warnings

• Focus on hitting the top of the ball when you make contact. This will induce a ground ball and not a popup, as a bunt is supposed to be a soft ground ball.
• Take pitches that are too difficult to bunt. A good rule of thumb is to pull the bat back and take a pitch that is pitched higher than your bat head.
• Don't let yourself get hit with the ball as you start running for first base. If a bunted ball hits you in fair territory, you will be called out.

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