The next steps complete the mechanics of a well executed bunt. The lessons will continue soon with defense.

4 Catch the ball with the bat

No matter what else you need to learn about bunting, the most important mechanical technique is this: catch the ball with the bat.

The hand that's pushed up the barrel — right hand for RHB and left hand for LHB — needs to pull back as the ball makes contact — to deaden the bounce back and keep the ball from getting too close to the pitcher or charging corners. (Yes, there are times when you want a bunt to go farther, but this is the basic technique that you need to learn first.)

The challenge is that you will likely need to learn this "catch the ball" technique from scratch, because unless you are a lefty throw who bats from the right side (or RT from left), you will be learning to catch with the hand you normally throw with. So it will take some practice.

Some coaches suggest slipping a glove over the end of the bat to learn this catching technique. That's okay, but not essential, and you will still have to gain experience with how a fastball actually bounces off the barrel.

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