How to Hit a Softball Changeup: A Hitter's Guide

It’s the most maddening pitch in fastpitch softball.

You see the pitcher's arm come through with fastball speed. You load up, start your swing, shift your weight forward to attack... and the ball never arrives. Your body is way out on your front foot, your hands are committed, and all you can do is wave weakly at the pitch as it floats by for strike three.

This is the power of the changeup. It’s a pitch of pure deception. It’s designed to do one thing: make an aggressive hitter who is guessing "fastball" look foolish.

The common advice—"just wait back"—is useless. You can't just "wait" if your brain has already been tricked. The only way to defeat the changeup is to stop guessing and start training: first your mind, then your body.

Hitter's IQ Checklist: Are You Ready for the Changeup?

A great hitter is a smart hitter. See if you can check all three boxes.

[ ] I have a clear plan. I know the high-probability counts and situations when a pitcher is most likely to throw a changeup.

[ ] My practice is realistic. My practice drills force me to identify and react to off-speed pitches, not just hit predictable fastballs.

[ ] I have a balanced swing. I have the training and confidence to stay balanced and still take a powerful swing even when I'm fooled.

If you couldn't check all three boxes, you're at risk of being fooled by the changeup. This guide will fix that.

The Problem: Your Practice is Training You to Lunge

Think about your average practice. You hit off a tee (stationary). You hit front toss (predictable timing). You hit in a machine cage (predictable speed).

Your brain is being trained, rep after rep, to time one single speed. This is why you're a great "practice hitter." But in a game, the pitcher's job is to destroy that timing. Because your brain has been conditioned to lunge at anything that looks like a fastball, you are fundamentally unprepared to stay back.

Reading the Pitcher: How to Anticipate the Changeup

You can't hit what you don't expect. The first step is to use your "Hitter's IQ" to anticipate the pitch before it's thrown.

The "Arm Speed" Myth: First, stop looking for a "slower arm." Elite pitchers are taught to throw the changeup with the exact same arm speed as their fastball. Trying to see a difference is a trap. You must train your eyes to see the spin and movement (or lack thereof) after release.
The "High-Probability Counts": A pitcher uses the changeup with a plan. Be ready for it:

Ahead in the Count (e.g., 2-0, 3-1): The "hitter's count." This is the #1 time for a pitcher to throw a "get-me-over" changeup to steal a strike. You're expecting a fastball, which makes the changeup doubly effective.
Behind in the Count (e.g., 1-2, 0-2): The "put-away" pitch. The pitcher is trying to make you chase. This is when they'll throw their best changeup that dives just out of the zone.

The "High-Probability Situations":

After a Hard Fastball: The classic setup. After a pitcher blows a fastball by you, your brain is "sped up." Be ready for the changeup to follow.
Runner on Second (with <2 outs): The pitcher wants a weak ground ball. This is a prime changeup situation.

The Solution: Train for Unpredictability

Now that your mind is ready, you must train your body. To defeat deception, you must practice in an unpredictable environment.

This is where the MC3 Softball becomes the ultimate changeup-killer.

Its patented 3-in-1 design is the only tool that can do this from a machine. By loading your machine with a random mix of orientations, you can simulate a game-like sequence:

Standard Orientation: A hard fastball.
"Drop Pitch" Orientation: A pitch that is not only slower but has a downward, "dying" action that perfectly mimics a changeup.

The machine's wheel speed never changes. The "arm speed" looks identical every time. But the pitch that comes out is different. This is the only way to train your brain to stop guessing and start recognizing.

3 Drills to Defeat the Changeup

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by JZ Sports (@jz_sportsco)

Drill	Objective	How It Works
1. The "Recognition" Drill	Train the eyes before the swing.	Load the machine with a 50/50 mix of MC3 "fastballs" and "drop pitches." The hitter gets in their stance but does not swing. Their only job is to say "Fastball" or "Changeup" out loud as the pitch is released.
2. The "Balance" Drill	Train the body to not lunge.	Same 50/50 mix. This time, the hitter has one goal: stay balanced, no matter what. This means a powerful swing on the fastball, but a controlled, balanced take or a defensive swing (if any) on the changeup. Lunging is a "loss."
3. The "Adjust & Attack" Drill	The final step: Recognize, wait, and attack.	Same 50/50 mix. Now, the hitter must recognize the changeup, wait on it, and still take a powerful, balanced swing to drive it back up the middle. This drill, combined with our Rise Ball drills ▸, builds a complete fastpitch hitter.

What to Watch For: A Coach's Checklist

As a coach or parent ▸, you're not just watching the hit; you're watching the balance. Look for these flaws during the drills:

Is their head lurching forward? The head should stay still and behind the front foot.
Is their weight "leaking" early? Watch their front foot. Is it slamming down before they've recognized the pitch?
Are they "chasing" the pitch? A lunge swing often "dips" and rolls over. A good swing on a changeup is still a "down and through" path that lets the ball travel deep.

Stop Guessing. Start Hitting.

The changeup is a test. It’s a test to see if you are a "guesser" or a "hitter." A hitter who trains in a predictable environment will always be a guesser.

By using the MC3 Softball to create an unpredictable, game-like practice, you are training your brain to be an "adapter." You're building the confidence and balance to stay back, recognize the pitch, and drive the changeup with the same authority as the fastball.