Hi Tate,

The answer is simple: practice and confidence.

At age 13 the mound should be moved back to 60 feet 6 inches, that gives you about 1/3 more reaction time. So in many ways hitting at age 13 is much easier that hitting at age 12. A good fastball is intimidating at first, but with practice it will become the easiest pitch to hit because the faster it is thrown the straighter it is and therefore the easiest it is too hit.

Mechanically you may want to use a smaller bat and shorten-up your swing. Good Luck!

2 HRS A DAY OR ABOUT 200 SWINGS AND IT BECOMES EASIER. I THINK THEY SAID PRACTICE, PRACTICE, AND MORE PRACTICE. THE PLAYERS THAT THINK THAT A SCOUT IS GOING TO WALK UP THE DRIVEWAY AND HAND THEM A CONTRACT IS IN DREAMLAND. YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR AND GO TO TRYOUTS.

Practice, Practice on moving your hands a half inch back in a load while the pitcher is going through his motion. You can't hit flat-footed. Also, work on firing your hips through before your hands. Remember hips are your power source. A little more reaction time due to the mound being moved. Second, you need to step up to the plate knowing you're gonna hit the ball. Mental toughness is key for baseball. If you are scared you won't get a hit. Third, understand hitting. Round bat; round ball you won't square up on the ball every time. You have to take solace in the fact that it might not be your swing. Lastly, if you need a drill to practice because you're late on the ball you should try drops. Simple enough drill: have someone such as your dad raise his hand to a little above your eye level. As he raises his hand you will load. Your helper will drop the ball and you must hit the ball before it hits the ground.

1) shorten up your swing
2) don't strike yourself out before you even get to the plate
if the pitcher is throwng really hard, especially in the beginning of the game, sometimes I tell my players to go ahead and use a wider stance, then it's more of a hips/arms type of swing. Don't worry, most pitchers will come back to you after a few innings. Just put in the necessary time off the field, then trust yourself.

I tell my 12 year old son, ""hit the auto-pilot button..... and smile for gosh sakes!".

Start your swing when the pitchers hand is on top. That should be a good starting point for all pitchers fast or slow. Adjust how fast you attack the ball with the speed of the pitcher. For a slower pitcher or if you can detect an offspeed pitch keep your hands back. If he is throwing hard then swing away. The best time to time a pitcher is when he is warming up or you are on deck. Those are free pitches you can work on timing. Trust your swing.