Every hitter knows the feeling - perfect pitch, perfect swing... and somehow, it’s still a weak grounder or lazy fly ball. You didn’t miss by much, but in baseball, a few inches is the difference between an out and extra bases. The culprit? Your contact point.
Most players don’t realize how often they make contact in the wrong spot. A ball hit too far out front? Rolled over grounder. Too deep? Late fly ball. Even elite hitters miss their ideal contact point by fractions of a second, and it shows up in exit velocity, launch angle, and, most importantly, results.
The Contact Point Myth
A lot of hitters think “just see it and swing.” But in reality, your swing path and timing are built around your ideal contact point. Every hitter has one, the sweet spot where mechanics, timing, and vision all sync up. And it’s different for every pitch location.
If your contact point drifts, even slightly - your body compensates. Your front side leaks. Your barrel path changes. You start manipulating your hands instead of driving through the zone. That’s when bad habits show up: rollovers, pop-ups, and “just missed it” contact that drives hitters crazy.
Training the Right Contact Point
The fix starts with awareness. You have to feel where good contact happens. The best hitters can visualize the moment of impact before the pitch is even thrown - they’ve trained it into muscle memory.
That’s where reps and vision training come in. Using tools like MaxBP, hitters can train their eyes and hands to sync at game speed. The repetition builds rhythm and consistency, teaching you to recognize when the ball needs to be attacked versus when it needs to be waited on.
With consistent reps, your body learns the difference between early and late - and how to make every swing find that sweet, powerful contact point.
Elite Hitters Don’t Guess They Repeat
The difference between good and great hitters isn’t luck or even raw power. It’s repeatability. Elite hitters find their contact point, over and over, no matter the pitch type or speed.
Here are 3 drills you can do with MaxBP to rep it out.
1. The Timing Window Drill
Goal: Learn to recognize and repeat your ideal contact point for different pitch speeds.
How to do it:
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Set your MaxBP to Fast or Turbo speed.
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Pick a target zone (middle, inside, or outside).
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As the ball leaves the feeder, track it visually and swing with the goal of meeting it at your perfect contact point. The BetterBat allows you to adjust the contact point, set that to cover middle inside of the plate.
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Between reps, freeze your finish and note where your bat met the ball. was it too far out front? Too deep? Adjust your timing on the next pitch.
Pro Tip: Film a short round from the side. You’ll quickly see if your contact point drifts or stays consistent.
Why it works:
You’re teaching your brain and body to connect timing, pitch recognition, and hand path - three elements that decide whether your contact is flush or flat.
2. The Barrel Awareness Drill
Goal: Train precise barrel control and learn how small timing shifts affect contact.
How to do it:
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Use MaxBP on Medium speed, and focus on hitting line drives right back at the machine.
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After 10 solid hits, adjust your stance slightly - move up an inch in the box or back an inch.
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Notice how that change affects your point of contact. You can see this especially if you're using the BetterBat. Does the ball jump off your bat more out front, or do you get better carry letting it travel deeper?
Pro Tip: Alternate between inside and outside pitches by changing your plate positioning relative to MaxBP.
Why it works:
Tiny timing adjustments can unlock big results. This drill helps hitters find their sweet spot, learning how body position and timing blend to create power through the ball.
3. The Random Location Dril
Goal: Train consistent contact points while reacting to unpredictable pitch locations.
How to do it:
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Keep your MaxBP set at a single consistent speed (Fast or Turbo).
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Slightly adjust the feeder aim between rounds - inside, middle, outside, or up/down in the zone.
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Have a partner make quick micro adjustments to the machine between balls
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Focus on staying balanced, tracking the ball deep, and finding clean contact no matter where the pitch shows up.
Pro Tip: Call out the location as soon as you recognize it - “in,” “out,” “up,” “down” - before swinging. It trains both recognition and response.
Why it works:
This drill mimics real game variability. You’re building the ability to keep your swing path and contact point consistent, even when the pitch location forces quick adjustments.
That’s the magic of reps. When you train your timing and reaction at high speeds, your body stops guessing. It just knows.
So next time you roll one over or flare one the other way, don’t blame your swing - check your contact point. Get it right, and everything else starts to click.