Latin 2017

Despacito as a Walkup Song

by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee

Preview

Is "Despacito" a good walkup song?

The post-drop beat is built for a stadium. The cultural reach is enormous — every fan in the stands knows the song. And the slower tempo of the drop section gives the hitter room to walk to the box at his own pace. Just don't waste the trim window on the slow intro.

Notable players who've used it

Despacito has been one of the most popular crossover walkups since release. Used by both Latin and non-Latin players across MLB, and especially common at the youth and softball level — fully clean, instantly recognizable, and one of the most-streamed songs of the last decade.

How to trim "Despacito" for a walkup

Start at 0:43, run for 20 seconds. Skip the slow guitar intro. Trim into the beat drop at 0:43 where the energy actually starts.

The trim point is the difference between a great walkup song and a great walkup. A song's first 15-20 seconds rarely happen to be the best 15-20 seconds — most popular tracks have a build, an intro, or a bridge before the hook lands. Pick the slice that hits hardest. The last second of your trim window should land on a peak, right as the player steps into the box.

Best for

• Any hitter
• Softball players
• Youth players

Clean / explicit version notes

"Despacito" has no explicit content — it's safe for any age and any league. No need for a clean version or careful trimming. Pick the song, set the trim, lock it in.

Songs that pair well with "Despacito"

If "Despacito" is on your shortlist, these are the walkup songs players most often consider alongside it. Same vibe, same energy, same kind of moment at the plate.

• Gasolina — Daddy Yankee
• Titi Me Pregunto — Bad Bunny
• Pelotero A La Bola — 8Uno & Airam Paez

How to set up "Despacito" for your team

Setting up a walkup song requires three things: an app that handles per-player audio, custom trim points, and one-tap playback on game day.

1. Build your roster in Walkup Pro — assign "Despacito" to the player who picked it
2. Scrub to 0:43 and set the trim duration to 20 seconds
3. Connect a Bluetooth speaker at the field (a JBL Charge or similar will cover any youth field — see our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers for a baseball field)
4. On game day, tap to play as the player walks to the box

For a complete game-day setup walkthrough, see how to play walkup songs at baseball games. For more on what makes a great walkup work, see the anatomy of the perfect walkup song.