Types Of Pitches: Knuckle Curveball

In this article, you'll learn how to grip and throw the knuckle curveball.

Another variation of the curveball is the knuckle curveball.

This breaking pitch is the widely the most popular and most used curveball in professional baseball because the pitch works for itself once mastered.

Thrown the same way as the beginner's curveball and the straight curveball, the knuckle curveball grip is actually the same as the beginner's curveball grip with one exception: the index-finger tucked back into the seam of the baseball, NOT raised off of the ball like with the beginners curveball.

The pitcher throws this variation of the curve by aiming the knuckle at the intended target as opposed to the index-finger. The difficulty in this pitch does not come from the pitch itself. In fact, most pitchers feel this grip gives them the most rotation -- and movement -- of any breaking pitch. The difficulty comes in making the index-finger feel comfortable being tucked back into the baseball.

This leads me into an important tip...

A pitcher should spend a few weeks -- preferably in the off-season -- working on nothing but tucking the finger into the ball. Once the index-finger is used to the grip, a pitcher can safely progress into spinning the baseball to a partner.

Furthermore, a baseball pitcher must maintain short and well-manicured nails -- especially on the index-finger of the throwing hand -- for this pitch to be effective because long fingernails can get in the way of the grip.