🧠 How to Stop Overthinking at the Plate (and Start Raking) ⚾️🥎

Lane Adams

Jun '25 • 🧠 Mind of the Warrior

Most hitters struggle with this at some point: you step into the box and your brain won’t shut off.

Thoughts like:

➡️ “Don’t drop my back shoulder.”

➡️ “Where are my hands?”

➡️ “Is he throwing a slider or a fastball?”

➡️ “My last AB was terrible. I need a hit here.”

The problem? You can’t think and compete at the same time.

Overthinking kills reaction time. It creates tension. It slows you down. And worst of all—it pulls you out of the present moment, where good hitting actually happens.

So why do hitters overthink?

Here’s the root of it:

1️⃣ Lack of trust in their training. If you haven’t truly repped it out, your brain will second guess.

2️⃣ Fear of failure. You’re trying to be perfect instead of hunting something to smash.

3️⃣ Too much information. Overanalyzing every swing, pitch, or situation leads to mental overload.

Here’s how to fix it:

🔹 1.Establish a simple plan before every pitch.

Pick ONE pitch in ONE zone and hunt it. “Middle-in heater” or “elevated fastball.” That’s it. Having a clear intent gives your brain direction and quiets the noise.

🔹 2. Shift from “perfect” to “compete.”

This isn’t a showcase. It’s a battle. Stop trying to “swing pretty” and start trying to win the at-bat. Competing gives your brain something actionable instead of analytical.

🔹 3. Detach from mechanics in the game.

The box is not the cage. Your mechanics are trained in practice—games are for reaction and feel. Mechanics thoughts in games = tension and hesitation.

🔹 4. Use your breath to reset.

Take a slow breath before every pitch. In through your nose, out through your mouth. This lowers your heart rate and clears your mind. No breath = panic mode.

🔹 5. Stay locked into THIS pitch.

Not the last AB. Not your batting average. Not what scouts are thinking. The only pitch that matters is the one coming right now. That’s the only one you can do anything with.

Bottom line:

✅ You train so that you don’t have to think.

✅ You simplify so that you can compete.

✅ You stay present so that you can execute.

Stop trying to be perfect. Start trying to win the pitch. That’s when the game slows down… and you start hitting with freedom.

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