Professional baseball players that are easy to imitate: a compilation of batting stance impressions
If you like baseball, chances are you’ve tried imitating a pro player’s form at least once, right?
Batting stances are a classic for impressions, and copying not only the most imitated players but also those with distinctive forms can really liven things up!
In this article, we’ll focus on batting forms and introduce a lineup of players who are easy to mimic as well as those with particularly unique stances.
We’ve selected a variety of players regardless of era or nationality, so feel free to use this as a reference!
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Professional baseball players who are easy to impersonate. A compilation of batting stance impressions (11–20)
Tomonori Kanemoto
Tomonori Kanemoto, known as the Iron Man, starred for the Hiroshima Carp and Hanshin Tigers and set the world record for consecutive full-inning games played.
He led his teams with clutch hitting, showcasing power that produced many home runs even at Koshien Stadium, where left-handed batters are more affected by the wind, along with excellent plate discipline.
The subtle bat waggle as he waited in a light open stance left a strong impression.
In his swing, he seemed to keep his shoulders steady, take a smooth, big cut from the back, and make contact out in front.
His characteristic look of gritting his teeth as he timed the pitch was also memorable!
Julio Zuletta
Julio Zuleta, who played for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Chiba Lotte Marines, was sometimes called “Mr.
Three-Run” because of how often he hit three-run homers.
His batting form is notable for its highly unusual stance.
At first glance, it might remind you of Cabrera, who starred for the Seibu Lions.
He evens out his rhythm by swinging the bat horizontally over home plate, then drops his high-held bat back and diagonally downward.
At this point, be sure to keep the elbow high so that your fists come above your head.
As you follow through, lower the bat gradually, take your timing around the shoulder area, and try your swing.
Hitoshi Taneda
Hitoshi Taneda was a player who mainly played for the Chunichi Dragons and the Yokohama BayStars.
Around 2000, his batting form changed to a style that drew attention and came to be called the “gaited stance” (ganimata dahō).
He would spread his legs wide, drop his hips, lift the heel of his front foot, and lean forward.
Although this stance might look hard to hit from, he explained that he developed it to correct his own quirks, and it was said to help him see pitches more clearly.
Let’s also convey that at the moment of contact he would step his front foot out even farther and transition into a more conventional batting form.
Sadaharu Oh
Sadaharu Oh excelled as a player for the Yomiuri Giants, and after retiring he also demonstrated his abilities as a manager for both the Yomiuri Giants and the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
His various records from his playing days are still celebrated, and he achieved results as the manager of Japan’s national team as well, making him a true icon of Japanese baseball.
His distinctive ‘one-legged batting stance’ is another hallmark of Oh, who has said that strong lower-body strength and a sense of balance are essential.
The idea is to wait for the pitch while maintaining a one-legged stance for an extended moment, then transfer the force of landing into the bat to strike the ball.
Let’s keep in mind his mastery of the one-legged style and aim to reproduce a powerful swing with a stable axis that doesn’t waver.
Shinnosuke Abe
Shinnosuke Abe was a standout player for the Yomiuri Giants and has remained closely connected to the team after retirement, serving as a coach and later as manager.
Known for his long playing career devoted to the Giants and his strong impression as a catcher, he is widely seen as a player who supported the team.
A defining feature of his hitting is the so-called “twist batting” style, where he steps outward with his front foot and then links that movement through the upper body to rotate.
It’s said to be a technique that relies heavily on lower-body strength, and his catcher’s posture is also a key element in making this approach work.
Pay attention as well to his movements and expressions in the batter’s box—such as a slight arching of the back and using the hand opposite the bat to help set his body position.
Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara, a power hitter who showcased an extraordinary batting sense as the cleanup for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and went on to excel with the Yomiuri Giants and the Chunichi Dragons, was a fearsome slugger.
Known affectionately as “Guts,” Ogasawara’s batting form is a great model for anyone who wants to emulate a cool-looking swing.
A variation of the shrine-priest style, his stance features the bat held slightly forward at a slant, and during the swing he characteristically drives through on a mostly level plane with a slight upward path.
His signature full swing carries that irresistible appeal of “a man admired by men.” True to his nickname “Samurai of the North,” imagining you’re cutting with a sword as you copy his form might make it even better.
Professional baseball players that are easy to impersonate: A roundup of batting stance impressions (21–30)
Hayato Sakamoto
In the “Impressions Too Subtle to Convey” impersonation championship, Sakatomo is imitating Giants player Sakamoto.
Although he’s smaller in stature than Sakamoto, he faithfully reproduces even the tiniest movements.
If you look closely, Sakamoto has many distinctive mannerisms, and when you observe him as a subject for impersonation, you realize he’s surprisingly easy to take in as input.
