[[Image:Cut Fastball.gif|thumb|200px|An animated diagram of a cutter]]
In [[baseball]], a '''cutter''', or '''fastball cutter''', or '''cut fastball''', is a type of [[fastball]] that breaks away from (look at the animated gif) toward the [[pitcher]]'s glove side, as it reaches [[home plate]].<ref name=ThisIsGameChanger>{{cite web|first=Albert|last=Chen|title=This Is The Game Changer|date=June 13, 2011|work=[[Sports Illustrated]]|url=https://www.si.com/vault/2011/06/13/106077823/this-is-the-game-changer|accessdate=2015-08-01}}</ref> This pitch is somewhere between a [[slider]] and a fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more motion than a typical fastball.<ref name=ThisIsGameChanger/> Some pitchers use a cutter to prevent hitters from expecting their regular fastballs. A common technique for throwing a cutter is to use a [[four-seam fastball]] grip with the baseball set slightly off center in the hand. A batter hitting a cutter pitch often achieves only soft contact and an easy out due to the pitch's movement keeping the ball away from the bat's [[Sweet spot (sports)|sweet spot]]. The cutter is typically 2–5 mph slower than a pitcher's [[four-seam fastball]]. In 2010, the average pitch classified as a cutter by [[PITCHf/x]] thrown by a right-handed pitcher was 88.6 mph; the average four-seamer was 92.1 mph.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfx.texasleaguers.com/league-averages.php|title=League Average PITCHf/x Data – TexasLeaguers.com|publisher=Texas Leaguers|accessdate=29 May 2012}}</ref>
