Vertical Approach Angle: What It Is and How Pitchers Use It
Vertical approach angle, or VAA, is the angle a pitch is traveling at as it crosses the plate. Every pitch comes in on a downward path, so the number is negative. What matters is how steep or flat that path is compared with what a hitter expects.
Flat versus steep
A flatter fastball (a less negative VAA) looks to the hitter like it is rising, because it drops less than the swing is planned for. Those pitches get swings underneath them and fly balls.
A steeper pitch (a more negative VAA) bores down through the zone. Hitters tend to get on top of it and put it on the ground.
As a reference point, the average four-seam fastball comes in at roughly −5.3 to −5.6 degrees. Being average is the problem. Hitters see average all day. A pitcher gains an edge by being clearly flatter or clearly steeper than that.
What shapes it
Five things move VAA:
- Release height. A lower release gives a flatter path.
- Extension. Releasing the ball closer to the plate flattens it.
- Velocity. A harder pitch has less time to drop.
- Location. The same pitch is flatter at the top of the zone than at the knees.
- Induced vertical break. More carry holds the ball up.
This is why a shorter pitcher who throws hard with good carry can dominate at the top of the zone. The traits that looked like disadvantages add up to a flat fastball.
Pitching with it
The simplest use is pairing. Throw a flat fastball up, then a pitch with a steep path down. The hitter has to cover two different planes, and a swing built for one misses the other.
It also tells you where your fastball belongs. A flat fastball thrown at the knees gives away what makes it good. A steep sinker thrown up in the zone does the same.
A note for hitters
The same idea works in reverse. A swing stays in the zone longest when its path matches the pitch's path. Flatter pitches up call for a flatter swing; steeper pitches down call for a steeper one. Learning to recognize which is coming is a trainable skill.
If you have Trackman or Rapsodo numbers and are not sure what they say about your fastball, our guide to reading pitching data walks through them.
This article is general information, not medical advice. See a doctor or physical therapist about pain or injury, and check with a qualified professional before starting a new training program.