Related Posts

• Why have I not heard about Jay Ward or ProStride Hitting before now?

  During his professional career Jay maintained the ProStride Hitting Process as a proprietary teaching and development system that he taught his players and made available to the organizations that employed him. For various competitive reasons this material was not made available to the general public which is why Gary Denbo of the NY Yankees was surprised (but very pleased) that Jay had documented his hitting process in these videos. Many players and coaches over the years had asked Jay to document his work but until a couple of years ago he resisted until he could take the time necessary to do it the right way.
  
  Jay was one of the best coaches and instructors in the game and even though he was a very accomplished speaker, he was not a big self promoter of his work. Instead, he let his success as a coach get demonstrated by the players at the plate. He was not one to look for the spotlight or play political games to build his name and career. Instead, Jay enjoyed just working with players and took only a select few coaches under his wing to teach them his ProStride Hitting Process. Gary was one of those fortunate students and he has been a great example of what a coach can accomplish by understanding and teaching ProStride. Gary, in turn, taught other coaches the ProStride Hitting Process which has made it the most popular teaching method at the upper level of baseball. What most of you will recognize are the names of the great players he has instructed and some of the coaches who have provided testimonials about Jay’s ProStride Hitting system.
  
  Hall of Fame players, as well as future Hall of Famers who have been coached by Gary Denbo, recognize the unique Process and drills that developed their swings, kept them on track, brought them back from slumps and allowed them to elevate their careers. The ProStride brand of hitting is likely going to become the most recognized hitting and teaching process at all levels of baseball. We want to thank Jay for leaving us with his life’s work. He would be happy knowing that he has been able to share his knowledge with you and your players. Please contact us through the forum with your questions or email us at info@prostridehitting.com.

• Reasons for using ProStride Hitting

  

  
  1) This information has been taught in the Major Leagues and all through baseball for 30 + years.
  
  

  • This isn't some new form of hitting that has recently been discovered or made up

  
  2) Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers have and are using this hitting process
  
  

  • To name a few: Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Chipper Jones, Javier Lopez, Wade Boggs, etc,

  
  3) The instructors in these videos is still in the game and coaching at the professional level
  
  

  • Mike Mordecai coaches for the Toronto Blue Jays

  • Gary Denbo is a coach for the New York Yankees

  4) The instructors played at the Major League level
  
  

  • Mike Mordecai played for 10 years in the Majors and accumulated 2 World Series titles

  • Jay Ward played for the Twins and Reds as well as a few other Minor League organizations including the New York Yankees

  
  5) The ProStride hitting process is simple to understand and turns players into real hitters without the 20+ hitting drills. Just use the 4 drills provided in the videos and start driving baseballs into the gaps. 
  
  6) Lastly, this process is proven at all levels of baseball. If you aren't using ProStride hitting, then today is a great time to start!
  

• How can ProStride Hitting help me and my baseball program?

  ProStride Hitting will give you the most advanced, yet simple to understand, system for teaching young hitters. One of the real challenges we see high school coaches facing is that they are usually not experts when it comes to teaching the finer aspects of hitting. This forces their good players to seek outside instruction which causes confusion and potential alienation from the coach. These players bring new hitting ideas back to the other team members and parents' questions may circulate about what is being taught at the high school level. This can cause tension and often times a separation between the coach, his players and the parents. What should first be understood is that players and their parents are interested in helping support a coach and program that can help the players become the best they can be while developing them for the next level.
  
  Next, it should not be expected that a high school coach be able to instruct at a level of a professional hitting coach. By adopting ProStride as your hitting system you will not only become knowledgeable of the most advanced hitting techniques, you will demonstrate to your players and parents that you want to bring the best hitting system available to them. Implementing this program will also result in having college and professional scouts more interested in your players. Not only will they become better hitters, they will also possess a preferred type of swing and the mental approach that will give them a better chance to succeed at the next level.
  
  With each player being a member of the site they can learn and become experts themselves. The parents can also become educated and eventually start passing these skills and knowledge down to the younger up-and-coming players that will continue to feed into your program.

• Will ProStride Hitting work for all types of hitters?

  We recognize that many players have been taught a physical and mental approach to hitting that may be difficult to change right away. However, if the player is willing to learn and practice properly with the ProStride drills he will start to develop the right feel and a more consistent bat path through the hitting zone.

• Release or Hold onto the Bat with Both Hands?

  

  According to Jay Ward of ProStride Hitting

  This is another big topic of controversy for some guys on whether to release the top hand at the end of the swing or keep it on. A big reason why we want some of our hitters to release is because they get more coverage and extension. What do I mean by this? They tend to stay in the zone longer instead of cutting off their swing which we have seen in some players who do not release. When hitters cut their swing off while holding on with both hands they tend to roll over on a lot more balls than they would if they were to release the top hand.

  We are not trying to tell you this is going to be the right way for everyone. We have guys in the pros who release and guys who hold onto the bat. It’s whatever works best for you. If you are not comfortable with your swing, then none of this other stuff matters.

  One more quick tip: Releasing the top hand at the end of the swing allows the bat to stay in the zone an extra 6-9 inches! Watch the Master of Hitting Instruction, Jay Ward elaborate on this in the Q & A video and much more!

  Below are a few examples of players who release and do not: 

   

  

                             

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  

   

  

• Derek Jeter's 1st Hire as a Marlin

  

  Jeter lands Denbo from Yanks as 1st major hire

  He will be director of player development and scouting

  By Joe Frisaro and Mark Feinsand / MLB.com | @JoeFrisaro | October 9th, 2017 

  +

   4 COMMENTS

  MIAMI -- It took only a week for Derek Jeter to add some pinstriped flavor to his new front office in Miami.

  According to a source, Gary Denbo has agreed to leave the Yankees to join Jeter's Marlins, the first major hiring by Miami's new ownership group. Neither team has confirmed the move.

  Denbo has been the Yankees' vice president of player development since 2014, but he'll join the Marlins as director of player development and scouting. Denbo, 56, had been rumored to be a candidate for the Marlins' general manager job.

  Bringing in Denbo comes a week after the Marlins were sold by Jeffrey Loria to a group led by Bruce Sherman and Jeter. The official closing on that $1.2 billion transaction came on Oct. 2. The next day, Sherman was introduced as Miami's chairman and principle owner and Jeter was named chief executive officer.

  "We're rebuilding it," Jeter said during a news conference on Oct. 3. "We're putting the right people in place. Everything is strategic, and we have a plan for what we're doing. But at the same time, we have to have patience."

  Miami has endured eight straight losing seasons and comes off a 77-85 campaign, finishing 20 games behind the Nationals in the National League East and 10 games off the pace for the second NL Wild Card spot.

  The Marlins have not asked the Yankees for permission to speak with any of their other front-office members, a source said.

  Jeter and Denbo have a long history together. Denbo has spent more than two decades with the Yankees in a variety of positions, managing Jeter in the Minor Leagues and serving as the Yankees' hitting coach in 2001.

  The Marlins are seeking to upgrade their organization at all levels. Their farm system has been thinned through the years, and Denbo was instrumental in stockpiling the Yankees' system to become one of the bests in the Majors.

  All of the Yankees' affiliates, with the exception of one Rookie league club, reached the playoffs in 2017. Their three highest level clubs -- Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Double-A Trenton and Class A Advanced Tampa combined for a 263-153 (.632) record.

  Like Jeter, Denbo makes Tampa home.

  When Jeter was struggling at the plate in 2011, he spent time with Denbo in Tampa during a June stint on the disabled list and worked on his swing, hitting .331 for the remainder of the season after returning on July 4.

  The Marlins don't currently have a general manager. President of baseball operations Michael Hill has been working closely with Jeter during the ownership transition.

  Jim Hendry, a special assistant to GM Brian Cashman, has been rumored to be a candidate to join the Marlins, possibly as GM, but a source said there has been no contract between the two parties.

  Joe Frisaro has covered the Marlins for MLB.com since 2002. Follow him on Twitter @JoeFrisaro and listen to his podcast.
  
  Mark Feinsand, executive reporter for MLB.com, has covered the Yankees and MLB since 2001 for the New York Daily News and MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

   

  Hear what Gary Denbo has to say about why you need ProStride Hitting