By BK, Athletic Hitting Development
Complete Hitters Are Built… It’s Earned!
Key takeaways
- Hitting drills for 14 year olds should prepare him for the 60/90 field, firmer pitching and a BBCOR bat: velocity timing, bat speed, and a plan in the box.
- Train with the bat he’ll use in games; high school baseball has required BBCOR bats since 2012.
- Plan on about 40–50 minutes, four days a week, with 80–100 quality swings plus 2–3 strength sessions.
- At 14, approach starts to win at-bats: knowing which pitch to hunt and what to do with two strikes.
The best hitting drills for 14 year olds prepare a hitter for the 60/90 field: short-distance velocity work, bat speed training with a BBCOR bat, off-speed reads and a real approach in the box. Plan on 40–50 minutes, four days a week, plus strength work.
Hitting drills for 14 year olds should prepare him for the 60/90 field: short-distance velocity toss, overload-underload bat speed work, fastball-changeup mixes and count-based at-bats with a BBCOR bat. Plan on 40–50 minutes, four days a week, plus strength work.
Train it: Complete Hitter Masterclass →Fourteen is the big jump. In Little League’s Junior division (ages 12–14) and Senior division (13–16), the mound is 60 feet, 6 inches and the bases are 90 feet. Pitchers are bigger and stronger, and most kids headed to high school are switching to a heavier BBCOR bat at the same time.
I’ve watched a lot of good 12U hitters struggle in that first year on the big field. Not because they forgot how to swing, but because nobody prepared them for what changed. Here’s how to get ready.
1. What changes for a 14 year old hitter on the 60/90 field?
- Distance. The mound moves back to 60 feet, 6 inches. The ball has farther to travel, but bigger arms throw it a lot harder.
- Velocity. In my experience, the jump in pitch speed between the small field and the big field is the first thing hitters feel.
- The bat. High school baseball has required BBCOR bats since 2012. A drop -3 bat is heavier and less forgiving than a youth bat.
- Pitch mix. More pitchers throw real off-speed for strikes, and they throw it behind in the count.
Put all four together and you get the classic first-year story: a hitter who was great on the small field is suddenly late, gets jammed, and swings at changeups in the dirt. It’s normal. It’s also fixable with the right preparation.
The base still comes from earlier work. If he’s missing timing or first off-speed reps, go back to our hitting drills for 12 year olds first.
New field. New bat. New speed. Same need: be on time.
2. What are the best hitting drills for 14 year olds?
Six drills. Rotate four or five per session. Every swing has a purpose.
- Short-distance velocity toss.Behind an L-screen, firm overhand or front toss from shorter distances to shrink reaction time; 3 rounds of 8 with the game bat.
- Overload-underload swings.Short rounds alternating a slightly heavier and a slightly lighter bat, then the game bat; 3 sets of 5 at full intent, fully rested.
- High-heat tracking.Firm pitches up in the zone; he swings at strikes at the letters and lays off the ones above; trains the eyes and the barrel path.
- Fastball-changeup mix.Machine or live arm with mixed speeds; he hunts the fastball and adjusts to the changeup without swinging early.
- Count-based live at-bats.Start at 2-0, 1-2 and 0-2 counts and change his plan for each; score quality at-bats, not just hits.
- Med-ball rotational throws.Explosive throws into a wall, 3 sets of 5 per side, to build the rotational power behind bat speed.
Two rules make these drills work. First, full intent: a 14 year old builds bat speed by swinging hard on purpose, then resting, not by taking 200 half-speed swings. Second, the game bat shows up in every session. Overload and underload swings are short add-ons, not the whole workout. If he’s sore, tired or his swing is getting longer, stop and come back tomorrow.
Velocity work only helps if he’s on time. The full breakdown is in How to Hit a Fastball. For pitches up in the zone, see How to Hit a High Fastball.
14U HITTING
BIG FIELD.BIG JUMP.
- 60 feet, 6 inches and 90-foot bases
- Train with the BBCOR bat early
- Short-distance velocity reps
- Hunt the fastball early
BE ON TIME FIRST
3. How does a 14 year old switch to a BBCOR bat?
Don’t wait until tryouts. Start swinging the BBCOR bat in practice a few months before the season so his timing adjusts with it. If the -3 feels too heavy to control, he isn’t ready to swing it full-time yet; build strength and give it more time.
What changes with a heavier bat: the barrel takes a little longer to get started, mishits sting more, and late swings get punished. The fix isn’t a slower, longer swing. It’s a stronger body, an earlier start and a direct path to the ball.
There’s good news coming. USA Baseball and the NFHS have announced that, beginning in 2028, high school players can also use bats marked USA BBCOR or USABat -4, -5 or -6, and current BBCOR bats stay legal. That lighter drop gives younger high schoolers a way to step up. Check your league’s current rules each season.
For sizing, see our baseball bat size chart or the free bat size calculator.
4. How long should a 14 year old practice hitting?
About 40–50 minutes, four days a week, plus 2–3 strength sessions, is what I see work for most 14 year olds. Quality beats volume. When the bat speed drops, the session is over.
| Block | Time | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up and med-ball throws | 8 minutes | 30 throws |
| Tee: path and one-hand work | 8 minutes | 20 |
| Overload-underload swings | 6 minutes | 15 |
| Velocity toss or high-heat tracking | 10 minutes | 24–30 |
| Fastball-changeup mix or count at-bats | 10–15 minutes | 20–30 |
In season, cut the volume down. Two or three shorter sessions a week that keep his timing sharp are enough when he’s also playing games. Save the bigger bat speed and strength blocks for the offseason.
That’s about 80–100 swings. Strength becomes a bigger piece of bat speed at this age. See Strength Training for Young Hitters by Age and our Athletic Development course.
5. What approach should a 14 year old hitter have?
At 14, approach starts to win at-bats. A simple one: hunt a fastball in a zone he drives early in the count, and shorten up and battle with two strikes. Our two-strike approach guide covers the second half.
| Count | Plan |
|---|---|
| Ahead (1-0, 2-0, 3-1) | Hunt a fastball in his best zone; take everything else |
| Even (0-0, 1-1) | Fastball approach, ready to adjust to off-speed |
| Two strikes | Widen the zone a little, shorten up, put the ball in play |
This is where all 4 pillars meet. AHD hitters build Mechanically Advantaged Angles (MAA) in the swing, the strength to create bat speed, a Hitting Processor trained daily, and a Mental Approach that holds up when it’s 0-2.
Not sure where to start? The free SwingChecker ranks his top priority. The Complete Hitter Masterclass builds all 4 pillars in 24 lessons, and our online hitting instruction gives him a personal 90-day plan with video review before high school tryouts. If you’re thinking ahead, read What College Coaches Look For in a Hitter.
Softball note: 14U fastpitch hitters face their own speed jump at a shorter distance. See How to Hit Fast Pitching in Softball.
THELESSON.
- Prepare before tryouts
- Bat speed needs strength
- Approach wins at-bats
- Train all 4 pillars
Complete Hitters Are Built…Earned.
Want to go deeper? Read Exit Velocity by Age: Baseball and Softball Benchmarks (2026 Chart) and Strength Training for Young Hitters: What’s Right at Every Age.
Quick answers
When should a 14 year old switch to a BBCOR bat?
A few months before he plays high school ball, so his timing adjusts in practice first. If the -3 bat feels too heavy to control, build strength and give it more time.
How hard should a 14 year old hit the ball?
It varies a lot with size and maturity at 14. Our exit velocity by age chart gives typical ranges, but timing and contact quality matter more than one number.
Is 14 too late to get better at hitting?
No. Many hitters make their biggest jumps between 14 and 17 as they get stronger. A clear plan across swing, strength, timing and approach makes the difference.
How do I prepare my son for high school baseball tryouts?
Get him on a 60/90 field, swinging a legal high school bat, and facing firm pitching for a few months before tryouts. Work on strength and a simple approach too.
Sources: Little League: Baseball Divisions (Junior and Senior League dimensions) · MLB.com: USA Baseball jointly announces new standards for HS bat weights
Don’t collect drills. Build a complete hitter.
Complete Hitters Are Built… It’s Earned!
This article is part of the AHD guide Youth Hitting Development. Start there for the full picture and every related article.
