There aren't many more important skills a baseball player can have than a compact swing. A swing that's nice and compact can help batters hit the ball not only harder, but longer. You'll need to develop bat speed, but you'll also need to create bat quickness - the factor which determines how long you'll be able to wait to swing at a pitch.

All major league hitters were able to get to the level they are at because of a compact swing. Even though they may strike out quite a bit, it is not due to the compact swing, it is due to bat quickness and the ability of the pitcher. Having a compact swing does not necessarily mean that you will have a quick bat.

Building a compact swing is a goal every young player should shoot for. For anyone who hopes to improve as a hitter, a compact swing is an essential skill.

A compact swing is a swing that takes place in a small area. A compact swing should bring the bat from the shoulder of the batter, the hitters starting position, to a direct impact with the ball within the strike zone. The batter should keep the bat close to his head on the way to the ball. He should try not to extend out to far or let the bat take any other detours on the way to making contact with the ball. The more compact the swing is, the quicker you can get to the ball, which means you can wait longer for the pitch to arrive.

Developing a compact swing requires practice. There are several drills you can use to help. If you can't use a batting tee, coaches can stand in front of the hitter and off to the side. The coaches then drop a baseball into the strike zone. Until the hitter is able to shorten his swing and speed it up, he'll always be late with his swing and miss the ball the dropped ball.

Another drill that you can have your hitters try is have them stand in front of a wall or fence. Have them place the end of the bat on the wall or fence and the handle against their chest. From a regular batting stance have them swing. If they have a good compact swing, they should never hit the wall or fence. This drill teaches them to go after the ball with their hands more so than their arms.

A third drill that's effective for teaching a compact swing can be done by a hitter by himself. Have him place a pillow or pad under his lead arm and then take full swings, but not let the pillow or pad fall out until he's completed his swing and followed through. This drill eliminates long arm swings and develops the hands and forearms.

If you are looking to develop a good strong compact swing, these are a few tips that will help you. Remember that all major league baseball players have compact swing and this is one of the reasons that they are major league players. If you plan on playing on a higher level, a compact swing is very important.

About the author:
Bob Patterson has been the baseball coach for many high schools. He spends his time teaching hitting to young players and has authored many articles on the topic. Bob works for a batting cage store called Slugger's Dugout.