Overview
The cutter is thrown at near-fastball velocity with slight lateral movement at the last moment, making it difficult to distinguish from a fastball and highly effective at jamming hitters off the bat's sweet spot. In NPB, Tomohito Ito's cutter was legendary, with batters testifying they swung expecting a fastball only to be jammed. In MLB, Mariano Rivera's cutter is widely regarded as the greatest single pitch in history. Because the cutter requires only a slight grip adjustment from the fastball, it is relatively easy to learn, and an increasing number of pitchers have added it to their repertoire. Tracking data has enabled quantification of cutter movement and spin axis, advancing pitch design to optimize the trajectory differential from the fastball.