By Athletic Hitting Development
Complete Hitters Are Built… It’s Earned!
Bunting looks simple. Then the sign comes in with a runner on first, the ball pops up to the pitcher and it’s a double play.
Teach it in order: a pinch grip with the fingers behind the bat, feet set before release, then the barrel above the hands at the top of the zone, bunting the top half of the ball. Score it with a target test so you know it’s working.
Train it: Bunting & Small Ball Masterclass →A good bunt is one of the most valuable skills a young hitter can have, and it’s one of the most teachable. Teach it in this order and keep score.
Pinch it. Set early. Barrel above the hands.
1. Why bunting matters
A bunt only counts if it dies where the defense can’t make a play. A bunt that rolls back to the pitcher is an out and a lost runner. In fastpitch softball especially, a hitter who can bunt for a hit, drag or slap puts pressure on the defense every at-bat.
2. Step 1: the grip
Slide the top hand up the barrel and pinch the bat between the thumb and the side of the index finger, with the fingers curled behind the bat. The bottom hand stays loose near the knob. Nothing wraps around the front of the barrel.
A grip that exposes fingers gets them hit. A tight grip turns the bat into a wall, and the ball rockets back to the pitcher instead of dying in front of the plate.
Cue: “Pinch it, don’t grab it. Fingers behind the bat.”
TEACH IT IN ORDER
PINCH IT.SET EARLY.
- Fingers behind the bat
- Set before release
- Barrel above the hands
- Bunt the top half
KEEP SCORE.
3. Step 2: the feet
When a bunt goes wrong, everyone blames the hands. Most of the time it’s the feet. There are two ways to get there:
- Pivot: turn on the balls of both feet so the chest faces the pitcher. It hides the bunt longer.
- Square around: step the back foot up even with the front. It gives beginners more balance and plate coverage.
For young players, start with the square-around and add the pivot once they’re consistent. Either way, they need to be set before the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. Cue: “Eyes level and square before the release.”
4. Step 3: barrel above the hands
A popped-up bunt is the worst outcome in bunting, and one angle fixes most of them. Keep the barrel above the hands, angled slightly toward the line you want. Hold the bat at the top of the strike zone and let the ball come to it. Contact the top half of the ball.
Every strike becomes a downward adjustment with the legs, and any pitch the hitter has to reach up for is a ball. Barrel below the hands is how bunts pop up.
Barrel above the hands. Bunt the top half, every time.
5. The target test
This is how the AHD Bunting course starts, and it’s the fastest way to find out whether your hitter really has a short game.
The target test
Set up: Place a towel or hoop about 3 feet wide, roughly 15–20 feet up each foul line, just inside fair territory.
The rep: 10 bunts off front toss, 5 to each line.
Score: 2 points in the box, 1 point fair and on the ground outside it, 0 for foul, popped up or back to the pitcher. Out of 20.
| Score (out of 20) | What it means |
|---|---|
| Under 8 | Needs work: start with the grip and the feet |
| 8–11 | Solid: the basics are there |
| 12–15 | Strong: ready to bunt in games |
| 16–20 | Game-ready: start learning the drag and push |
After ten minutes of dry squares in front of a mirror checking barrel height, retake the test. Count pop-ups before and after.
6. Common mistakes
- Squaring too late. If the base isn’t set by release, the barrel can’t stay quiet.
- Jabbing at the ball. Catch the ball with the barrel. Don’t push it.
- Bunting with the arms. Adjust to low pitches with the legs, not by dropping the barrel.
- Bunting balls. If you have to reach up for it, take it.
7. Go deeper: the Bunting & Small Ball Program
Thirty lessons that build the full short game: the sacrifice, the drag, the push, bunting for a hit, the fastpitch bunt-and-slap crossover and the safety and suicide squeeze — ending with your own bunt game plan.
The first three lessons are free. Start with Lesson 1: The Target Test — it takes about ten minutes and gives you a score to retest against.
See the full Bunting & Small Ball Program →
THELESSON.
- Grip first.
- Feet second.
- Barrel angle third.
- Score it with targets.
Complete Hitters Are Built…Earned.
Quick answers
How do you teach a kid to bunt?
Teach it in order: a safe pinch grip with the fingers behind the bat, getting set early with a square-around or pivot, then holding the barrel above the hands at the top of the zone and bunting the top half of the ball. Score it with targets so you know it is working.
Should kids square around or pivot to bunt?
Beginners usually do better with the square-around because it gives more balance and plate coverage. Once they are consistent, the pivot hides the bunt longer and is worth learning.
Why does my kid keep popping up bunts?
Almost always because the barrel drops below the hands. Keep the barrel above the hands, start at the top of the strike zone and adjust to lower pitches with the legs.
What is the safest way to hold the bat when bunting?
Pinch the bat between the thumb and the side of the index finger with the fingers curled behind the bat, so nothing is exposed on the front of the barrel.
How do you score a bunting drill?
Use the target test: 10 bunts off front toss, 5 to each line, toward a 3-foot towel or hoop 15–20 feet up the line. Score 2 in the box, 1 for fair and on the ground outside it, and 0 for foul, popped up or back to the pitcher, out of 20.
This article is part of the AHD guide Youth Hitting Development. Start there for the full picture and every related article.
