Offensive training can easily become cluttered. New drills. New metrics. New technologies. If we are not careful, hitters can end up chasing everything except what actually makes them better hitters.

In our program, we simplify the process. While we use modern toolso tools and data, our offensive training always comes back to three core focus areas that guide everything we do in the cage, on the field, and in competition.

1. Swing Decisions

Our first and most important offensive focus is swing decision-making.

Simply put, our goal is to minimize out-of-zone swings. The best hitters in the world consistently control the strike zone, and the numbers back it up. Last season, Juan Soto led Major League Baseball with the lowest chase rate at 16.2%, meaning he swung at just 16.2% of pitches outside the strike zone.

A low chase rate puts hitters in a position to succeed in multiple ways. It leads to:

• Higher on-base percentage
• More favorable hitter’s counts, increasing both batting average and slugging percentage
• Fewer strikeouts
• Elevated pitch counts for opposing pitchers

Over the course of a game, and especially over a series, this approach forces teams into their bullpen earlier and exposes lesser pitchers later.

Because of its importance, swing decisions are incorporated into every hitting drill we run. Decision-making is trained, not assumed. Whether it is batting practice or machine work, our BP pitchers and feeders are intentional about mixing in balls every round.

We never want a hitter to get comfortable swinging at 100% strikes. If a hitter is not being challenged to decide yes or no, then he is not truly training. Our goal is to make swing decisions a form of muscle memory that carries from the cage to the batter’s box when the lights are on.

2. High Hard-Hit Percentage With Limited Swing and Miss

Our second offensive focus is producing a high hard-hit percentage while limiting swing and miss.

Last season, Luis Arraez finished with the lowest swing-and-miss percentage in Major League Baseball at 5.3%, while Kyle Schwarber led the league with a 59.6% hard-hit rate. At first glance, many view these two traits as being at odds. We do not.

We believe both can be trained simultaneously.

Our offensive training is built around intent, aggression, and bat speed. When hitters train with purpose and move the bat fast, they are far more likely to hit the baseball hard, increasing slugging percentage. Hard contact is not accidental. It is a byproduct of commitment to the approach and the swing.

At the same time, we place equal emphasis on efficiency. We work to develop a swing that is:

• Short
• Efficient through the zone
• Adjustable to different pitch locations and speeds

An efficient swing that stays in the zone longer allows hitters to consistently square the baseball while also minimizing swing and miss. The goal is not reckless aggression. It is controlled aggression.

By training intent and efficiency together, hitters can hit the ball hard and often without sacrificing plate discipline or consistency.

3. Mental Game

Our third focus area is the mental game.

Our batting practice is challenging and involves failure, just like the game itself. In practice, we use failure as an opportunity to train response. How does a hitter respond to a poor swing decision, a bad at-bat, or even a bad game?

For us, how you respond in practice is how you will respond in a game. Can you immediately reset posture, control breathing, and use positive self-talk? If so, you put yourself in the best position to reach our ultimate goal: being fully present for the next pitch.

Along with this, hitters must learn to be their own best hitting coach. They need the ability to make adjustments within an at-bat and certainly from at-bat to at-bat. Simply put, can you recognize why you failed and adjust accordingly?

We believe the best adjustments often come from external cueing, which we refer to as target shooting. When the body is given a clear objective, it naturally organizes itself to accomplish it.

Final Thoughts

While offensive training will continue to evolve, these three focus areas will remain constant for us:

Swing Decisions.
High Hard-Hit Percentage With Limited Swing and Miss.
Mental Game.

When hitters commit to these principles, swing mechanics tend to clean themselves up, confidence grows, and performance follows. Our job as coaches is not to overload players. It is to help them focus on what truly matters.

Scoring runs.

About the Author

Greg Mamula is an elite college baseball coach and one of the nation’s most respected offensive minds in the game. As the head baseball coach at the University of Delaware, Greg leads a Division I program while also serving as the team’s hitting and infield coach. In his 26th season coaching college baseball, he has made a name for himself by consistently building high-powered, disciplined offenses that compete at the highest levels.

Before returning to Delaware as head coach in 2022, Greg spent several successful seasons at Florida Atlantic University where he was the associate head coach, recruiting coordinator, hitting coach, and infield coach — roles in which he helped guide FAU to multiple NCAA Regional appearances and Conference USA titles. His units were known for their run production, situational offense, and offensive efficiency.

Greg’s leadership was immediately felt in Newark. In his first season in charge, he guided Delaware to 30 wins and the program’s first Conference tournament appearance in years, with one of the most productive offenses in the country.

Greg and Dustin have been colleagues for some time, and quickly formed a relationship rooted in shared developmental philosophies. Their collaboration reflects a deep commitment to developing players who approach the game with intent, intelligence, and competitive fire. That mindset drives every piece of content you see here — real coaching insight from leaders who have done it at a high level.