A two-seam fastball is a pitch

Pitch (baseball)

In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be literally "pitched" underhand, as with pitching horseshoes. Overhand throwing was not allowed until 1884.The biomechanics of...

 in baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 and a variant of the straight fastball

Fastball

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...

. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball

Screwball

A screwball , is a baseball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action....

. Its close relative is the sinker

Sinker (baseball)

In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...

.

Grip and Action

There are several different ways to grip a two-seam fastball, the most common of which is to place the index and middle fingers along the seams where the two seams are closest together (where the horseshoes point in towards each other) with the thumb placed directly below on the leather with the rear of the thumb just touching the bottom near seam. The arm action is identical to a four-seam fastball, although the hand action differs slightly. The pitcher puts pressure on the top fingers, causing the ball to spin out of the hand off-center and away from the pitcher.

The two seam fastball will often have one or two miles per hour less speed than the four-seam fastball

Four-seam fastball

A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...

, but the slight pronation of the hand and off-center spin on the ball will carry the ball down and toward the pitcher's dominant side, down and to the right for right-handers, and down and to the left for left-handers.

Effectiveness

The two-seam fastball is designed to have more movement than a four-seam fastball

Four-seam fastball

A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...

, but can be more difficult to master and control. The amount of break on the pitch will vary greatly from pitcher to pitcher depending on velocity, arm slot angle and pressure points of the fingers. The two-seamer is a very natural pitch to throw, and is often taught to pitchers at a very early age. Its use is widespread throughout all levels of baseball, and most pitchers at any level have a two-seamer in their repertoire. Many pitchers, especially those without exceptional velocity, prefer a two-seam fastball to the four-seam because of its movement at the plate. On the other hand, power pitchers such as Justin Verlander

Justin Verlander

Justin Brooks Verlander is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball....

 combine control, high velocity, and break to make the two-seamer one of the most effective pitches in baseball.

The velocity of this pitch will also vary greatly from pitcher to pitcher. At the major collegiate level and higher, two-seam fastballs are typically thrown in the low 90s (MPH), but with much variation. Pitchers such as Greg Maddux

Greg Maddux

Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...

, Bob Stanley

Bob Stanley

Robert William "Bob" Stanley is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox.Over his 13-year career, Stanley played only for the Red Sox from 1977-89...

 and Eddie Guardado

Eddie Guardado

Edward Adrian Guardado is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Throughout his career, Guardado had played with the Minnesota Twins , Seattle Mariners , Cincinnati Reds , and the Rangers .His common nickname is "Everyday Eddie", a testament to his durable arm during his first stint with the...

are notable for having success at the major league levels with two-seam fastballs in the mid 80s.