The VAK Assessment is a test that helps identify what type of learner someone is. In this case, that someone is a baseball player, but I have found this helpful in my personal life as well.
I wrote specifically about the VAK relating to pitch design here, but am going to briefly address more of the benefits to knowing each player's learning type for both hitters and pitchers.
At the very least, the VAK serves as a great baseline to understand your players and gain their trust. As a coach, it demonstrates that you are working to understand them and their needs. If you're the "fake it 'til you make it type," the VAK gives you an area to fake it in. Not recommending being that type of coach, just saying. Understanding how your player's learn best is a pretty low hanging fruit and aids in avoiding a cookie cutter approach.
Another great benefit of the VAK Assessment is there are no cultural barriers. This is especially relevant in professional baseball where there is such a large non-english speaking presence. How is a coach supposed to communicate with his players if they can't speak the same language? Most of our roster is either a Visual or Kinesthetic learner, neither of which require a degree in a foreign language. You can show a foreign player someone else's swing or a drill that you think will help them. There are more ways to communicate than just verbally.
Say there are three hitters who all "cast their hands." Each of those players has a different learning style. How could each be treated differently?
Visual: During an individual session, a coach demonstrating how they want the hitter to move would be considered visual. Show the hitter side-by-side video of their quality swings compared to the bad ones. Showing examples of their peers, or pros getting to a certain position is another way to get your message across. In general, try to let them analyze the video before giving input so you do not bias what they are seeing.
Auditory: Auditory learners are typically the players who respond best to verbal cues. For a hitter casting his hands, this could mean something like "keep your hands inside the ball."
Kinesthetic: Kinesthetic learners are the ones who need to feel things out. This could come in the form of a drill that forces them to move a certain way such as taking swings while facing a wall, or a coach manipulating the way the player goes through a movement.
As I said in the beginning, the VAK Assessment is such a low hanging fruit to start individualizing your player development and it takes no more than 10 minutes to complete the test.
Link to the Assessment: https://www.businessballs.com/freepdfmaterials/vak_learning_styles_questionnaire.pdf
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