Definition: The strike zone is the invisible rectangular area over home plate where a pitch must pass to be called a strike if the batter doesn’t swing. Its height is generally defined as the space between the batter’s knees and the midpoint of their chest.
The exact size of the strike zone changes depending on the height and stance of the person batting. An umpire stands behind the catcher to judge whether the ball passed through this window or “missed” outside of it. If a pitch is outside this zone and the batter doesn’t swing, it is called a “ball.”
Example: The batter took a close pitch, but the umpire called it a strike because it passed right through the bottom of the strike zone.
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