How to Evaluate Your Contact Profile Using Blast Metrics

December 9, 2020

Written By: Kyle Attl – Director of Professional Baseball

The caveman’s approach to hitting is see ball, hit ball, hit ball far. Yes, putting the ball in play (and preferably hard in play) is essential to playing the game. But by using Blast Metrics technology, you can markedly enhance your swing in a much more sophisticated way by creating a “Contact Swing Profile.”

A Contact Swing Profile comprises two components: swing path and swing direction.

Swing Path – On-Plane Efficiency (or Plane Score)

Having On-Plane Efficiency above 70% means you have a smooth swing path, like a skateboarder going down the mega ramp or a record on a record player. This allows for swing effectiveness and an easier time adjusting when needed.

Think of On-Plane Efficiency like this: You can change lanes or make a turn easier while you are driving straight. Because you need little effort to drive the car straight, you need to make only one movement when you have to adjust. Changing lanes or making a turn while driving around a bend or turn is harder; you are actively moving the car and must move the car more. The same applies to hitting.

“Being on-plane increases your opportunity to be successful even when you aren’t perfect.”
—Jacob Howenstein, Blast Biomechanical Engineer

Being on-plane increases your opportunity to be successful even when you aren’t perfect. pic.twitter.com/NBe1d9eDw7
— Jacob Howenstein 💥 (@j_howenstein) September 22, 2019

Swing Direction – Attack Angle

When the pitcher throws a pitch, the ball generally travels at a downward angle toward home plate. Hitters want to have the direction of their swing (bat through the hitting zone) slightly positive to match the incoming pitch.

For this swing direction, we’re looking for a range of +5° to +20° as the target. (This changes slightly with level of play, click here for ranges.) Based on a hitter’s profile (power, contact, or hybrid hitter), they should have an Attack Angle range to match their desired ball flight (for example, line drive, or fly ball).

Kyle’s Pro Tip: Attack Angle is a simple adjustment a hitter can make. We recommend looking at Attack Angle first, then On-Plane Efficiency simply because it is easier to fix and adjust. This adjustment can make a positive impact to your game almost instantly.

A good On-Plane Efficiency + good Attack Angle = higher % of making contact

To learn more about Blast Player Reports, check out our YouTube channel.