Comparison of baseball swing biomechanics between different age and competition levels

Kinematic comparison among difference age groups compared the hitting mechanics of players from different levels.  Little league, high school, division 1 2 and 3, minor league and major league players did a biomechanics motion capture while batting off a tee.  This video summarizes the research study and the differences between the players with some practical coaching applications.

A few take always for me were:

1. Prevalence of excessive back shoulder aDDuction in youth.  Aka long swing or bat drag, this is when the back elbow is lower and closer to the midline of the body.  Also typically an indication of mis-alignment or inability to effectively rotate the torso.
2. Youth segment speeds can rotate just as fast as older players.  Hips, in this instance, rotated faster for youth than higher levels.
3. Learning to TRANSFER energy from one segment to the next is just as important as developing rotational speed.  This could be addressed with either strength/stability OR timing/technique improvements.
4. Start teaching kids to move better when they are young!

References:

Dowling, B., & Fleisig, G. S. (2016). Kinematic comparison of baseball batting off of a tee among various competition levels. Sports biomechanics, 15(3), 255-269.