Creating and Installing a Data-Driven Hitting Philosophy

with John Mallee,
Los Angeles Angels (MLB) Assistant Hitting Coach;
has spent 22 years as a professional baseball coach (Astros, Brewers, Cubs, Expos, Marlins, Blue Jays, Phillies); was the hitting coach for the 2016 World Series Championship-winning Chicago Cubs

Modern hitting coaches face a unique problem: with advances in technology and access to data, there is so much information available. With the information overload, it's important for every hitting coach to have a philosophy to determine what fits where and how each idea and theory works within the larger picture of developing hitters.

John Mallee explains the framework he uses and what has led him to his beliefs, while giving you the tools you need to develop your own framework and philosophy centered around using data to build better hitters.

The Pitch, Path and Sequence, Launch Angles

Coach Mallee's philosophies are built upon and informed by data from actual baseball games. Hitting starts with seeing the pitch from the pitcher's release. You'll learn to structure your practices in ways that closely replicate the challenges your hitters will face on game day, starting with seeing and tracking the pitch's release.

A major part of any hitting coach's philosophy is their ideas on how the swing itself actually works. Mallee builds his swing ideas on top of rock-solid data. You will learn the proper sequence of the swing and how the human body works to further your understanding of hitting.

Information about the outgoing ball should inform the hitter about their goal and focus for the swing, also called their approach. Hear Coach Mallee's thoughts (and what the numbers say) on a huge topic of debate in baseball: whether the hitter's goal should be to hit the ball on the ground, or in the air. Learn what the data says about launch angles!

Practice

Coach Mallee offers a few tweaks on two common drills to make them more game-like. His tweaks on front toss involve the tosser throwing overhand while sitting on a chair to get the downward angle of the toss to simulate the angle of an incoming pitch. Move the tosser closer or further away from the hitter to simulate game-like speed.

Coach Mallee offers all of the information you need to design your own data-driven hitting philosophy. He explains his own philosophy in terms of the numbers and data that has led him to his conclusions. This video will provide you with the ability to find and determine your own path to better batting results!

43 minutes. 2020.