# Cut fastball
The cut fastball, commonly called the cutter and classified as FC in pitch-tracking systems, is a variation of the fastball that moves slightly toward the pitcher's glove side as it reaches home plate. A cutter from a right-handed pitcher cuts away from a right-handed hitter and in toward a left-handed hitter, the opposite horizontal direction of a two-seam fastball.[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Movement | Slight glove-side break, late in its flight, opposite the arm-side run of a two-seamer[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter) |
| Spin | Asymmetric grip adds sideways spin to the fastball's backspin, producing movement similar to but less than a slider[2](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Cutter) |
| Velocity | Slightly lower than the pitcher's four-seam fastball or sinker; for some pitchers it is nearly a hard slider[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter) |
| Signature practitioner | Hall of Fame Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who threw the pitch almost exclusively[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter) |
| League usage | Usage rose from 4.9% of pitches in 2018 to 9.1% in early 2025 in FanGraphs' right-on-left pitch-mix data, though these matchup-specific figures do not establish an overall MLB ranking[3](https://plate-discipline.com/the-cutter-took-over-baseball) • [9](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/lets-take-a-peek-at-some-early-2025-pitch-usage-trends/) |
| Measured results vs four-seamer | Higher whiff rate (26.8% vs 22.1%), lower batting average against (.231 vs .248), higher ground ball rate (47.3% vs 36.8%), lower hard-hit rate (31.2% vs 38.6%)[3](https://plate-discipline.com/the-cutter-took-over-baseball) |
## Grip and mechanics
A cutter is thrown with fastball arm speed, but the grip is offset: both fingers are placed together toward one side of the baseball, the right side of the ball for a right-handed pitcher and the left side for a left-hander, so that the cutting movement appears at release.[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter) Descriptions of the grip vary in detail: one account describes holding the ball off-center or gripping harder with one finger than the other, which gives the ball sideways spin in addition to its backspin.[2](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Cutter) Another describes pressure primarily from the middle finger on the seam.[4](https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/cut-fastball) The movement comes from the grip rather than a wrist twist, which is why the pitch uses fastball mechanics.[5](https://sportsmonkie.com/how-to-throw-a-cutter-in-baseball/)
The sideways movement is small, not enough by itself to make a batter swing and miss, but enough to push contact away from the sweet spot of the bat for a weak hit or a broken bat.[2](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Cutter)
## Purpose and effect on hitters
**Deception is the pitch's core value.** Batters are accustomed to straight four-seam fastballs and two-seam fastballs that break toward the pitcher's arm side. Unlike a two-seamer, the cutter moves the other way, with that motion occurring just before the ball reaches home plate, which keeps batters from making solid contact.[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter)
When thrown from a right-handed pitcher to a left-handed hitter, or a lefty to a righty, the cutter moves quickly in toward the hitter's hands. A batter who swings often hits the ball on the handle of the bat, which breaks; a pitcher with an effective cutter can break many bats over a season.[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter) In rare cases, switch-hitters have batted from the same side as the pitcher's throwing arm when that pitcher throws primarily cutters, because the movement jams hitters facing a pitcher of the opposite handedness.[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter)
## Place among pitch types
The cutter sits between the fastball and the slider. It is a form of fastball, thrown with slightly lower velocity than the pitcher's four-seamer or sinker, but for some pitchers it behaves more like a breaking ball, almost a hard slider.[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter) Its sideways movement is similar to a slider's but smaller.[2](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Cutter) Pitchers often carry the cutter in addition to a four-seam fastball or sinker rather than instead of them.[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter)
## History and Mariano Rivera
The cut fastball has been thrown for more than 50 years, but it was made famous by Hall of Fame New York Yankees closer [Mariano Rivera](https://www.edgepedia.org/mariano-rivera), who threw the pitch almost exclusively. Rivera's cutter had so much late movement that it gained fame for the number of left-handed hitters' bats it broke.[1](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter) MLB has noted that the pitch, considered by many the best in baseball history, initially nearly ended his short career before it became an effective weapon.[6](https://www.mlb.com/es/news/la-recta-cortada-de-rivera-fue-un-accidente)
## Recent league trends
The cutter has grown from a specialist pitch into a league-wide staple. FanGraphs' right-on-left pitch-mix table shows cutter usage rising from 4.9% in 2018 to 9.1% in early 2025, and it outperforms the four-seamer on whiff rate, batting average against, ground ball rate, and hard-hit rate.[3](https://plate-discipline.com/the-cutter-took-over-baseball) • [9](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/lets-take-a-peek-at-some-early-2025-pitch-usage-trends/) The growth came as part of a broader shift away from fastballs generally: four-seamers, two-seamers, and cutters together fell from 62.1% of MLB pitches to 55%, replaced largely by sliders, sweepers, and slurves, even as average four-seam velocity reached a record 94.4 mph.[7](https://apnews.com/article/286fc7d890f776759e613a9e0a59cddc) The pitch is also a common addition for pitchers who cannot develop a conventional breaking ball, since it is only slightly slower than a four-seam fastball while still providing movement.[8](https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachments/document/396b-1840060/Pitching-Grips-101.pdf)
## References
1. [Cutter (FC) Glossary, MLB.com](https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/cutter)
2. [Fastball - BR Bullpen, Baseball-Reference](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Cutter)
3. [The Cutter Took Over Baseball, Baseball Visual Essays](https://plate-discipline.com/the-cutter-took-over-baseball)
4. [Cut fastball definition, Collins English Dictionary](https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/cut-fastball)
5. [How to Throw a Cutter in Baseball, SportsMonkie](https://sportsmonkie.com/how-to-throw-a-cutter-in-baseball/)
6. [La recta cortada de Rivera fue un "accidente", MLB.com](https://www.mlb.com/es/news/la-recta-cortada-de-rivera-fue-un-accidente)
7. [Curveballs are disappearing in MLB as velocity obsession reshapes pitching landscape, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/286fc7d890f776759e613a9e0a59cddc)
8. [Pitching Grips 101, SportNgin](https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachments/document/396b-1840060/Pitching-Grips-101.pdf)
9. [Let’s Take a Peek at Some Early 2025 Pitch Usage Trends](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/lets-take-a-peek-at-some-early-2025-pitch-usage-trends/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Baseball and related bat sports › Baseball rules, statistics, and terminology › Pitching and batting skills*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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