Baseball Drills

Builds: Swing path and barrel control

Hitter sets a tee at belt height and takes ten swings into a net, then resets to knee height for ten more and letter-high for ten more. The simplest hitting drill in the library and the fastest fix for a swing path, which is why every level from tee ball through varsity still uses it daily.

Reps: 10 swings per height (belt, knee, letter)

Builds: Timing on a moving ball

Tosser kneels behind an L-screen 12 to 15 feet in front of the hitter and tosses underhand into the strike zone. Hitter takes ten swings, then rotates. Faster than tee work because the ball is moving, slower than live pitching because the trajectory is predictable. The middle step of every hitting progression at every age.

Reps: 10 swings, then rotate

Builds: Bat path through the zone

Tosser kneels six feet to the side of the hitter and tosses balls into the hitting zone; the hitter swings and drives the ball into a net. Builds the bat path and the feeling of the barrel staying through the zone, a clean follow-up to tee work for hitters who roll over on outside pitches.

Reps: 20 reps per hitter

Builds: Adjustability across eye levels

Two tees on the same plate, one at knee height and one at letter-high. The hitter swings at the low ball first, then takes a second swing at the high ball without resetting the feet. Builds adjustability inside a single at-bat, which matters once pitchers start working different eye levels intentionally at 12U and up.

Builds: Plate coverage inside and out

Tee placed on the inside half of the plate for ten swings (pull the ball into the left-center gap for a right-handed hitter), then moved to the outside half for ten more (drive the ball oppo to right-center), with cones marking the target zones. Builds plate coverage so a hitter can punish pitchers who live on the corners instead of chasing the inside pitch and rolling over outside.

Reps: 10 swings inside, 10 swings outside

Builds: Read-and-react at game speed

Pitcher throws live from the rubber behind an L-screen. The hitter steps in with a starting count (1-1, 0-2, or 3-1) and gets a single live at-bat, ideally against a rotation of pitchers so hitters see different release points and pitch shapes. The closing block for any hitting practice once the team is past the tee-and-toss stage. Track contact percentage and quality contact (line drives plus hard ground balls) to decide who is ready for full game speed.

Builds: Contact-first two-strike swing

Pitcher delivers two-strike counts only. The hitter chokes up half an inch, widens the stance, and prioritizes contact over driving the ball. Builds the discipline to trade some power for batting average with two strikes, a 14U-and-up adjustment many high school hitters never make.

Target: 10 consecutive contact swings

Builds: Small-ball contact on a call

Hitter shows bunt or hit-and-run on a coach's call with a runner taking off from first, and the defense plays it live. Bunts work down the third base line for sacrifices and toward first to push the runner; the hit-and-run forces contact with the runner already moving, a different swing decision than a standard at-bat. A 12U-and-up drill that decides a surprising number of close games.

Builds: Arm path and full extension

Pitcher holds a folded towel where the ball would normally sit and goes through the full delivery, snapping the towel through the throwing motion to a partner standing where the catcher would be. Builds arm path, finish, and the feeling of full extension without the wear-and-tear of throwing a real ball. Belongs in every warm-up at every age.

Reps: 20 reps

Builds: Balance over the back leg

Pitcher takes the rocker step and lifts the front leg into the balance point (front knee at hip height, hips closed, weight loaded over the back leg), holds for two seconds, then delivers a soft throw to a partner. Builds the feel of staying balanced over the back leg, the part most young pitchers rush through when they start trying to throw harder.

Reps: 10 reps, 2s hold each

Builds: Isolated arm action and finish

Pitcher kneels on the throwing-side knee with the front leg flat on the ground and the ball in the glove, then takes the ball out, separates the hands, and throws to a target 25 feet away. Isolates arm action and finish without the lower body, useful for diagnosing a pitcher whose arm slot drops when fatigue sets in late in games.

Reps: 20 reps

Builds: Repeatable full-distance delivery

Pitcher stands on a regulation rubber, takes the standard delivery, and throws fastballs to a catcher 60 feet 6 inches away (or the youth distance for the age group). Run 30 to 40 pitches at the start of each pitching block. Belongs in every baseball practice that includes pitchers.

Reps: 30 to 40 pitches

Builds: Location over velocity

Pitcher throws ten pitches to each corner of the strike zone (low-inside, low-outside, high-inside, high-outside) and tracks strikes. The drill rewards location over velocity, the difference between a pitcher who racks up walks and one who pitches deep into games. A 12U-and-up drill that scales to college bullpens.

Reps: 10 pitches per corner

Builds: A timing-disrupting off-speed pitch

Three-stage progression: a grip drill (the change-up grip held still while the arm moves through the delivery in slow motion), tossed change-ups from 30 feet to a catcher, then full-distance change-ups mixed with fastballs at two fastballs to one change. Move to the next stage only when the previous one is consistent. The single most useful pitch a youth or high school pitcher can add because it disrupts timing without needing more arm speed.

Builds: The mental side of pitching

Pitcher faces a hitter at the plate with a starting count and an imaginary runner on base; the catcher calls pitches and a coach tracks balls, strikes, and contact quality across a simulated half-inning. Builds the mental side of pitching (recovering from a 3-1 count, attacking with two strikes, varying patterns to a hitter you have already retired once) that a flat bullpen cannot teach. A high school and travel ball drill.

Reps: 12 to 15 pitches (simulated half-inning)

Builds: A clean field-and-throw sequence

Coach hits a slow grounder; the fielder narrates each F out loud while moving through it (feet, field, funnel, footwork, fire, follow) and finishes with the throw and follow steps to the target. Start deliberately slow so each phase is felt, then pick up the speed across reps until the sequence happens at game pace. The single most useful infield drill at 10U through high school because it forces a clean sequence on every play instead of letting players paper over a missed step with arm strength.

Reps: 12 reps per fielder

Builds: Confidence on the tough hop

Two players ten feet apart. One throws short-hops to the other from a kneeling position; the fielder works the glove out in front and absorbs the hop softly. Builds confidence on the tough hop, the single biggest fear at 10U through 14U and the difference between a clean play and a ball deflecting off a glove into right field.

Reps: 30 reps each

Builds: Field-and-throw rhythm

Three cones form a triangle. The coach hits or rolls grounders from the apex; the fielder reads, fields, and throws to one of the two base cones, rotating every five reps. Builds the field-and-throw rhythm without the chaos of a full infield setup.

Reps: Rotate every 5 reps

Builds: Lateral range to both sides

Coach with a fungo bat hits balls to the fielder's backhand and forehand sides alternately; the fielder shuffles to position, fields the ball, and throws to a target. The drill matches a real-inning reaction to a mid-grounder and is the cleanest way to build lateral range without overcomplicating the footwork.

Builds: Double-play timing and feeds

Second baseman or shortstop fields a grounder and feeds the pivot man at second; the pivot man turns and throws to first, run from both sides. The most common combinations are 4-6-3, 6-4-3, and 5-2-3, and many coaches teach the play by its scorecard number so fielders can call the read before the pitch. Builds the timing that decides whether a routine grounder turns into two outs or just one.

Builds: Charge-and-throw on a slow roller

Coach rolls a slow grounder; the fielder charges, fields with the bare hand, and throws on the run to first, run from third base and from the pitcher's mound area. Builds the charge-and-throw rhythm that turns a slow rolling ball into an out, which a routine fielding play often misses. A 12U-and-up drill.

Builds: Reading and applying the tag

Middle infielder takes a feed at second base and applies a tag on a runner sliding in, using both a pop-up slide and a hook slide so the fielder learns to read both. The coach tracks tag application, not just whether the runner is out. Tag mechanics are one of the most under-coached parts of infield defense and decide more close plays at second than coaches usually credit.

Builds: Coordinated bunt coverage

Hitter shows bunt and the coach calls the direction (third, first, push toward the pitcher). The defense rotates: a corner charges, the catcher fields anything in front of the plate, and the pitcher covers an unattended base, run from a stretch motion at 12U and up. Bunt defense is one of the most common ways teams give up free runners at the high school level.

Builds: Tracking balls over the shoulder

Outfielder stands in shallow position; the coach hits or throws balls over the head. The fielder turns the hips, takes a drop step in the direction of the ball, and tracks it over the shoulder, with reps to both sides. The drop step is the single biggest difference between an outfielder who catches deep balls and one who breaks back at the wrong angle and turns triples into in-the-park home runs.

Builds: Footwork into a strong throw

Player fields a stationary ball, takes a crow hop (a small skip with the throwing-side foot to redirect momentum forward), and delivers the throw to a base target, run from the warning track in to a cutoff. Builds the footwork that turns a fielded ball into a strong throw without losing the ball in the transfer.

Builds: The charge-and-throw to home

Outfielder charges a ground ball that has gotten through the infield and throws on the run to home plate, using a one-hop bounce throw at first and a full-air throw once the player can hold form on the run. Builds the desperation throw that decides a tying or go-ahead run from second base on a single. A 12U-and-up drill.

Builds: Calling off teammates on pop flies

Three players (a corner outfielder, the center fielder, and the middle infielder closest to the gap) stand in their positions; the coach hits a pop fly between them and players call "mine" or "yours" loudly while the ball is in the air. Builds the verbal habit that prevents collisions on shallow pop flies, one of the most common ways teams give up free runs at the youth and high school level.

Builds: Reading caroms off the wall

Outfielder plays a ball off an outfield wall (or any vertical surface for younger teams). The coach tosses the ball off the wall at varying angles; the outfielder reads the carom, fields it, and throws back. Builds the read that turns a wall ball into a single instead of a triple. A 14U-and-up drill at fields with a real wall; younger teams can run the same pattern off a fence.

Builds: Wrist quickness on the release

Pairs ten feet apart. Each player holds a ball at the ear with a four-seam grip and flicks the wrist forward to deliver the ball softly to a partner. Builds wrist quickness, which decides how late a fielder can hold the ball before throwing on a quick play.

Reps: 20 reps

Builds: Throwing-arm endurance

Pairs start ten feet apart and back up five feet after every five throws until they reach maximum distance, then walk back in the same way. The progression keeps shoulders warm and builds throwing-arm endurance. Run for ten minutes at the start of every practice that includes throwing reps.

Reps: Back up 5 ft every 5 throws

Builds: Accuracy and footwork under pace

Four players form a square at the bases. The ball moves from base to base in order (home to first to second to third and back to home), each player setting their feet and delivering a strong throw, with a reverse rotation added on the second pass. Builds throwing accuracy and footwork under a controlled pace, and works as a daily warm-up at every level.

Builds: Shutting down the running game

Catcher receives a pitch and delivers a throw to second base while a coach with a stopwatch times release-to-glove (called pop-time), tracking times across weeks. A foundational drill for developing a catcher who can shut down a running game.

Target: Under 2.0s travel ball, under 2.2s high school

Builds: Keeping the ball in front

Pitcher or coach throws balls in the dirt directly in front of the catcher. The catcher drops to the blocking position (knees down, glove between the legs, chin tucked, body angled toward the plate to keep the ball contained), recovers, finds the runner, and either tags or throws. Builds the habit that a passed ball is a coaching failure, not bad luck. A daily catcher drill from 11U through high school.

Reps: 20 reps

Builds: Running through the bag

Hitter swings off a tee or front toss, drops the bat, and sprints through first while the coach times every player. Builds the habit of running through the bag instead of slowing down at the three-quarter mark, a 9U-through-high-school problem.

Target: Under 4.0s college, 4.0-4.4s travel ball

Builds: The two-step drop and steal jump

Runner takes a primary lead off first base, then a secondary lead on the pitch; the coach calls "go" or "stay" based on a script the runner cannot see. Builds the two-step drop and the steal jump, the building blocks for a 12U-and-up running game where leadoffs are legal.

Builds: Reading a single to take an extra base

Runner on first; the coach hits a single to right or left field. The runner reads the ball off the bat and decides whether to round second hard and try for third, with coach feedback on jump, angle around the bag, and shut-down decisions. The first-to-third read is one of the highest-impact baserunning skills because every run it produces is a free run created without an extra hit.

Builds: Tagging on a fly to score

Runner on third; the coach hits a fly ball to the outfield. The runner tags the bag, reads the depth of the catch, and decides whether to break for home, with an outfielder added so the runner reads the throw shape, not just the catch position. A 12U-and-up drill that decides a surprising number of close games at the youth and high school level.

Builds: Decision-making out of a rundown

Runner caught between two bases. Two fielders run a rundown trying to tag the runner before she reaches a base, with a third fielder added for a delayed cutoff. Builds the agility and decision-making that gets a runner out of a pickle, which happens more often in youth baseball than coaches usually drill for.

Builds: The fielding platform without a hop

Coach rolls the ball from ten feet away and the player catches it on the ground in a glove. Teaches the platform shape without a real hop. Use safety baseballs (the softer-core training balls) at the beginner level if any player is gun-shy, and the regular ball once contact confidence is built.

Builds: Catch-and-release rhythm

Two players toss the ball back and forth to build the catch-and-release rhythm with a partner without the overhand throw. A first step toward the throwing progression for a player who is still building ball-feel and contact confidence.

Builds: The swing motion on a still ball

Hitter takes swings against a stationary ball on a tee with a lighter baseball, learning the swing motion before pitch timing is added. The first hitting step for a first-time player who needs ball-feel and contact confidence before any team play matters.

Builds: Base orientation

Players race around the bases to teach base orientation in a low-pressure way. A fun way to build the home-first-second-third map for a first-time player before live game situations are introduced.

Builds: Whole-defense reads on a call

Coach calls a situation ("runner on second, one out") and hits a fungo to a fielder; the defense plays the ball, including the cutoff and the play at the appropriate base. Run ten or fifteen scripted situations covering bunts, infield flies, gap hits, and base-loaded plays, with position responsibilities resetting every situation.

Reps: 10 to 15 scripted situations

Builds: The two-strike grind

Pitcher faces a hitter at 0-2 every at-bat. The pitcher attacks the corners and the hitter has to put the ball in play in fair territory; a hitter who fouls off three pitches in a row earns a fresh count. Builds the two-strike grind that separates league-average hitters from a deep lineup, and pairs cleanly with the two-strike approach tee-and-toss work earlier in the hitting block.

Builds: Defending the first-and-third steal

Runners on first and third; the first runner steals second. The defense practices three responses (throw through to second, fake throw and check the runner at third, look home and trail the runner to second). Decides a surprising share of close games at the travel ball and high school levels.

Reps: 3 defensive responses

Builds: Defensive tempo through an inning

Defense takes the field; the coach hits a fungo simulating a routine inning (three batted balls, three outs). The stopwatch starts on the first pitch and stops on the third out. Builds tempo, the difference between a defense that gets out of innings cleanly and one that lets innings drag while the pitcher gets cold.

Target: Under 90 seconds for high school