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Baseball · Level 3: Pre-Intermediate · Sub-level 3.4

Pitch Types

10 tests · 100 facts · updated 28 October 2026 · markdown

The four-seam fastball, two-seamers and sinkers, the cutter, slider and sweeper, the curveball, the changeup, the splitter, the knuckleball, rare pitches and building a pitch mix.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1The four-seam fastballTake a test

  1. Gripped across the horseshoe, the ball shows four seams in each rotation.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Strong backspin makes it drop less than the hitter expects.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. MLB four-seamers average in the low to mid 90s.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Up in the zone, its carry makes hitters swing under it.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Its simple grip and straight path make it easiest to command.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Hitters describe some fastballs as heavy when they seem to bore in and sink.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Velocity is measured in miles per hour on the radar.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Fastballs are quickest; curveballs usually slowest.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Velocity climbs with age and level.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Fingers across the horseshoe make the four-seam grip.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 2Two-seamers and sinkersTake a test

  1. The fingers run with the seams where they come closest together.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. A sinker moves down and towards the pitcher's arm side.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Hitters swing over the top of a sinking pitch and pound it into the ground.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. A sinkerballer's outs come from ground balls.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. A grounder is needed for a double play, and sinkers produce grounders.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. With the infielders back, a ground ball to them lets the runner on third come home.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Two-seamers and sinkers move towards the pitcher's throwing-arm side.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Sinker, grounder, two outs.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Sinkers produce grounders; high fastballs produce fly balls and whiffs.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Down and in on the arm side is the sinker's path.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 3The cutterTake a test

  1. A cutter is a fastball that darts a few inches to the glove side late.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Rivera's cutter made him the career saves leader.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. A right-hander's cutter moves in on a left-handed hitter's hands.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Cutters are usually a little slower than the four-seam fastball.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Moving the fingers a little off centre gives the late cut.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. The break comes only in the last few feet.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. It runs in on left-handers' hands.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. The cutter breaks a little; the slider breaks more.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. The late cut jams the hitter.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. The cutter's late break towards a lefty's hands breaks bats.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 4The sliderTake a test

  1. A slider breaks to the glove side, with some downward movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Sliders sit between fastballs and curveballs in speed.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. The sweeper became popular in the 2020s for its wide horizontal break.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Moving away from a same-side hitter, the slider leaves the barrel behind.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Aimed at the hitter's back foot, it dives under his swing.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. A slurve has the speed of a slider and the shape of a curve.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Tunnelling the slider off the fastball causes swings and misses.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Sweepers break the most sideways; four-seamers barely at all.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Away from a same-side hitter, the slider escapes the bat.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Big glove-side sweep away from a same-side hitter is the sweeper.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 5The curveballTake a test

  1. Like clock hands from 12 to 6, it breaks straight down.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Topspin makes the ball dive.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. After fastballs, a slow curve throws the hitter off.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Tucking a fingertip on the ball gives a sharper spin.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Many curves pop up slightly out of the hand before diving.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Many coaches want young pitchers to master the fastball and changeup first.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. 'Uncle Charlie' is old slang for a good curveball.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. The 12-6 curve drops most; the four-seamer least.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. A curve may pop up, then dive late.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Straight downward break is the 12-6 curve.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 6The changeupTake a test

  1. Matching the fastball's arm speed hides the slower pitch.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Thumb and index finger form a circle on the side of the ball.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. The speed gap is what fools hitters.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. It fades away from opposite-handed hitters.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Most changeups fade and sink like a slower two-seamer.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Hitters say it looks like someone pulled it back on a string.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Many coaches see the changeup as a safe second pitch for young arms.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Same arm speed, slower ball, early swing.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. The curve is slowest; the cutter is close to fastball speed.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. The circle grip makes the circle change.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 7The splitterTake a test

  1. Splitting the fingers wedges the ball between them.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. It looks like a fastball, then tumbles down late.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Many Japanese pitchers throw splitters and forkballs.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. A forkball sits deeper between the fingers and is usually slower.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. The late drop makes hitters swing over it.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Ohtani's splitter is one of his best strikeout pitches.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Swinging over the top of it usually produces ground balls.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Splitters are thrown with very little spin.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Fastball look, late drop, miss.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Spread fingers make the split-finger grip.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 8The knuckleballTake a test

  1. With almost no spin, the air pushes it about unpredictably.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Despite the name, most knucklers grip it with fingertips or nails.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Even catchers do not know where it will go.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Thrown slowly with little effort, it is easy on the arm.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Dickey won the 2012 NL Cy Young with the Mets.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Slow, wandering pitches are hard to catch and easy to steal on.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Few pitchers can throw it with enough control.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. The knuckler barely spins; the four-seamer spins most of the three.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. The wandering path fools hitters and catchers alike.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. A wandering, barely spinning pitch is a knuckleball.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 9Rare and unusual pitchesTake a test

  1. A screwball breaks towards the pitcher's arm side.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Valenzuela's screwball led 'Fernandomania' in 1981.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. The eephus floats high and drops slowly into the zone.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Doctoring the ball has been banned since 1920.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Holding the ball in the palm kills its speed.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Some put strain on the arm; others take years to learn.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Its spin axis points at the plate, so it breaks very little.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. The eephus is the slowest of all.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. 1920, 1981 and the 2020s.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. A slow, high lob is the eephus.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 10Building a pitch mixTake a test

  1. Variety keeps hitters guessing.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Arsenal means all the pitches a pitcher uses.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Facing a hitter once, a reliever needs fewer looks to keep him off balance.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Pitch mix shows his percentages of each pitch.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Showing something different keeps hitters off balance.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Pitches that tunnel together and split late are hard to read.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Even a seldom-used pitch makes hitters think about it.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Many learn the fastball first, then a change, then a breaking ball.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Starters face hitters several times and need the most variety.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. A breakdown of how often he throws each pitch is his pitch mix.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Sources

General baseball references, WBSC and league material, coaching manuals; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered rules belong to the Rules category.

  • General baseball reference100