switch hitting question

[MPDad]

My 10 YO son throws left, writes left, eats left and is left eye dominant. He bats right handed however. He just starting hit right handed from the t-ball and never flirted with left handed. Until now... he has recently expressed an interest in switch hitting and I have been encouraged by some to give it a go.

My question though is to the best of my knowledge the vast majority of switch hitters hit much better from one side of the plate. Since he will see much more right handed pitching growing up he will then he spend more time left handed at the plate or his less natural side. He may very well may not hit as good as if he stayed with right handed period and it could very well impede his right handed development as well.

Thoughts?

[conky149er]

My 10 YO son throws left, writes left, eats left and is left eye dominant. He bats right handed however. He just starting hit right handed from the t-ball and never flirted with left handed. Until now... he has recently expressed an interest in switch hitting and I have been encouraged by some to give it a go.

My question though is to the best of my knowledge the vast majority of switch hitters hit much better from one side of the plate. Since he will see much more right handed pitching growing up he will then he spend more time left handed at the plate or his less natural side. He may very well may not hit as good as if he stayed with right handed period and it could very well impede his right handed development as well.

Thoughts?
sounds alot like me

i was a natural left handed hitter when i was 4, then my nana made me switch over to the right side because i was batting "wrong"

now i cant bat left

i dont think it would impede the right sided development at all, so long as he still worked on his right side as much as the left side


however, if he sotps workign at the right side as much to work on the left side, that would be a issue

[Coach C]

If he's showing interest I'd let him do it. I started working with my son at 7 when he wanted to try it. (he's 9 now). He's having a blast and enjoys his natural ability to do so.

As an aside Chipper started at 14.

[crazyhawk]

My son has always switch hit ever since he decided to swing a bat. He just did it naturally and I didn't want to stop him from doing something that was fun for him. He is a natural right handed hitter but he is a better lefty hitter now. I will say that the only drawback that I see is that it really can be tough in the fact that it takes twice as long. He actually is a better left handed hitter now because that is what he practices the most. there are only so many swings you are going to get in practice with the little guys. I bet you will find that your boy will love to switch hit because at that age they love to show off and do something that their buddies can't do.

[PhilliesPhan22]

I started messing with it when I was about 9 or 10. Natural righty, but I can hit lefty up to about 75mph and look pretty natural doing it.

As for your son, I say if HE really wants to try it, by all means, let him!

Good luck:)