Baseball Athletic Test: A

Baseball-Specific Test
Battery
Frank J. Spaniol, EdD, CSCS*D
Department of Kinesiology, Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas

SUMMARY sources (1,5–7,9,25). The complete BAT running, and throwing all require
includes the following battery of phys- a summation of forceful movements
THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS
iological, athletic, and sport-specific generated from the ground up. Com-
TO INTRODUCE THE BASEBALL
tests. The following tables include mon field tests for leg power include
ATHLETIC TEST (BAT), A BATTERY
a summary of normative data contained the vertical jump and standing broad
OF TESTS DESIGNED TO EVALU- in references 5, 15, 17, 19, and 21. jump. Leg power has been shown to
ATE PLAYER PERFORMANCE. have a positive relationship with
1. Body composition—Percent body fat
and lean body mass are typically throwing velocity, bat speed, and
assessed by skinfold calipers, bioelectri- batted-ball velocity (3,12,15,19,22,24)
lite baseball players recognize

E
cal impedance, hydrostatic weighing, or (Table 4).
that championship performance dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (8). 5. Rotational power—Rotational power
rarely occurs by chance but is Appropriate body composition is im- plays a special role in baseball perfor-
the product of consistent and effective portant for successful baseball perfor- mance, especially because throwing
training. This ‘‘excellence does not mance, especially the areas of fielding and hitting skills utilize a transverse
occur by accident’’ philosophy can be and baserunning (5,13,16). Also, body plane of motion. The BAT utilizes the
utilized by strength and conditioning weight and lean body mass appear to rotary medicine ball toss with a 3-kg
professionals to measure and evaluate have a high positive correlation with medicine ball and is measured by
physiological, athletic, and sport- bat speed and batted-ball velocity a radar gun in miles per hour (mph)
specific skills that can be predictors (2,12,19,22–24) (Table 1). (3). Rotational power has been shown
of successful baseball performance 2. Flexibility—Appropriate flexibility is to have a positive relationship with
(2,3,10,12,14,15,17–25). Test results fundamental to enhancing injury pre- throwing velocity, bat speed, and
then can be used to prescribe training vention and maintaining athletic per- batted-ball velocity (3,23) (Table 5).
programs designed to meet the specific formance. It is typically assessed by the 6. Agility—All players and positions
needs of individual athletes. Subse- modified sit and reach, shoulder rota- require agility to achieve baseball suc-
quently, identifying a battery of tests tion, and/or total body rotation tests cess. However, infielders and outfielders
and testing protocols that evaluate (5–7) (Table 2). probably have the greatest need for
these key performance components 3. Muscular strength—Due to the an- rapid changes of direction. Depending
can be useful for coaches and strength aerobic nature of the game, muscular on the player’s maturity level, the T test,
and conditioning professionals. strength plays a significant part in shuttle run, and pro agility test (5-10-5)
The purpose of this article is to in- baseball performance (3,15,18,19). are valid tests that can be used to assess
troduce the baseball athletic test (BAT), Many static and dynamic tests can be agility (6) (Table 6).
a battery of tests designed to evaluate used to measure muscular strength. It 7. Running speed—Speed plays a signif-
player’s strengths and weaknesses. Spe- is strongly suggested that one such icant role in many aspects of the game
cifically, special attention will be fo- test, grip strength, be included in the of baseball. The 60-yd dash is a popular
cused on the sport-specific portion of assessment process because research speed test that has been used in
the BAT, which includes throwing suggests a positive relationship between baseball for many years. However,
velocity, bat speed, and batted-ball grip strength and throwing velocity, bat other speed tests can be used as well
velocity. Although space limitations speed, and batted-ball velocity
KEY WORDS:
do not permit the inclusion of test (2,3,14,15,18,19,23,24) (Table 3).
protocols in this article, detailed test 4. Leg power—Power production is baseball; testing; bat speed; batted-ball
instructions can be found in a variety of important for baseball success. Hitting, velocity; throwing velocity

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 Table 1
Body composition (5,9,16,17,21)

Average percent body fat for baseball players

Position High school College—NAIA College—NCAA Division I Major League Baseball

Pitchers 15.8 14.7 12.0 12.3

Catchers 17.5 17.1 17.0 11.5
Infielders 13.1 14.9 13.4 9.4
Outfielders 12.9 10.8 11.0 8.4

(e.g., 30-yd dash, home to first, home

Table 2 to second, etc.) (5). On average, middle
Flexibility (15,17,19,21)
infielders and center fielders are the
Flexibility High school College—NAIA College—NCAA Division I fastest players, whereas catchers tend
to be the slowest (5) (Table 7).
Modified sit and 14.1 17.7 17.3
Reach (in.)
SPORT-SPECIFIC TESTS
8. Throwing velocity—Arm strength is
a highly regarded baseball skill that is
Table 3 essential to all positions. Many proto-
Muscular strength (14,15,17,19,21) cols are used to measure throwing
velocity (game situations, throwing
Muscular strength High school College—NAIA College—NCAA Division I from positions, etc.); however, all
Grip strength (kg) 40.7* 45.4* 61.4† utilize a radar gun to record speed in
mph. The BAT utilizes a standardized
*High school and NAIA data were collected using a Takai grip strength dynamometer. throwing protocol, which requires the
†NCAA Division 1 data were collected using a Jamar grip strength dynamometer, which player to make 5 maximum throws
produces significantly higher test results (9). with a regulation 5 oz baseball, on flat
ground, from the pitcher’s stretch
position. No shuffle, crow hop, or
running start is allowed. The distance
Table 4 the ball is thrown is irrelevant because
Leg power (15,17,19,21) the radar gun measures ball velocity
Leg power High school College—NAIA College—NCAA Division I immediately on release from the play-
er’s hand. The maximum throwing
Vertical jump (in.) 18.9 23.7 27.0 velocity is recorded in mph. Research
Standing broad 90.2 95.0 96.3 indicates a positive relationship be-
jump (in.) tween throwing velocity and lean body
mass, grip strength, and leg power
(14,15) (Table 8).
9. Bat speed—Another highly regarded
Table 5 baseball assessment, bat speed, is di-
Rotational power (3) rectly related to hitting success
College—NCAA (4,11,20). Typical devices for measur-
Rotational power High school College—NAIA Division I ing bat speed include chronographs
(ATEC Sport Speed Trainer 2000),
Rotary medicine ball toss NA NA 21.1 Doppler radar (Swing Speed Radar),
(3 kg), RHH (mph)
and lasers (BattMaxx 5500). The BAT
Rotary medicine ball toss NA NA 20.4 utilizes a standardized bat speed pro-
(3 kg), LHH (mph) tocol, which requires the player to use
their game bat to hit 5 line drives off
LHH = left-hand hitter; NA = not applicable; RHH = right-hand hitter.
a batting tee into a net. The player’s

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Baseball Athletic Test

Table 6 the BAT. The means are divided into

Agility (15,17,19,21) high school, NAIA, and NCAA Divi-
sion I categories and can be used for
Agility High school College—NAIA College—NCAA Division I general comparison purposes (Table 11).
T test (s) 9.91 10.1 9.97 Although testing certainly requires an
investment of time, effort, and equip-
ment, the reward is that better in-
Table 7 formation = better decisions = better
Running speed (15,17,19,21) performance. And ultimately, improv-
ing performance is what testing and
Running speed High school College—NAIA College—NCAA Division I strength and conditioning is all about.
60-yd dash (s) 7.71 7.61 7.25
Frank J.
Table 8 Spaniol serves as
Throwing velocity (14,15,17,19,21) Professor of
Kinesiology at
College—NCAA Texas A&M
Throwing velocity High school College—NAIA Division I University—
Throwing Velocity (mph) 72.8 76.7 78.2 Corpus Christi,
where he directs
the biomechanics
Table 9 lab.
Bat Speed (3,15,17,19,21)
Bat Speed High school College—NAIA College—NCAA Division I
REFERENCES
Bat speed (mph) 78.8 84.4 87.4
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28 VOLUME 31 | NUMBER 2 | APRIL 2009

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Height (in.) 69.9 70.1 71.2
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