Follow the Throw Drill
Position a player at 1b, one in RF, one at C (with no catcher gear on), one at 3B, and any excess players to form a line at LF.

The coach hits a ground ball to 3B. It is scooped up by the 3b who throws it to 1st base (Note: The excess players standing in line at LF will be acting as a backup should the 3B miss the groundball).

The 1B catches the ball while stepping on the first base bag. The RF is backing up the first baseman. The first base turns and throws to home plate where the catcher will then practice covering the plate and tagging out a phantom runner.

The 3b, after throwing to first, follows the throw and becomes the RF. The RF, after backing up 1B, now becomes the 1B. The 1B, after throwing home, becomes the catcher. The catcher, after giving the ball back to the coach, goes to the end of the line in LF.   The player that was standing first in line at LF now becomes the 3B.

After all players get a chance to complete the cycle you can then move the line to SS, 2B, and the pitcher’s mound.

Target Drill
We divide the players into equal teams of 4 or 5.  Have one player sit on a bucket on the 3rd baseline and the rest of their team lines up on the baseline between 1st and 2nd with 4 balls 10 feet in front of them.

The first person in line runs up to the group of balls, grabs one and throws to the girl on the bucket.
The person on the bucket is not allowed to move, so the throws must be good.
After he throws the first ball he runs back to his baseline, touches it, then runs back to the group of balls to throw another one.
He does this until all 4 balls have been thrown to the player on the bucket.
If any throws go by the catcher he must wait until all balls are thrown to go retrieve them.
The thrower becomes the catcher on the bucket and the catcher sets the balls back in their group and goes to the end of the line.
The next player in line now begins.

The team to get everyone to throw and catch first wins.

Baseball Fielding Drill
Set up:
Place 5 balls in a spot along the third base line, making 3 more piles of 5 balls about 12’ apart.
Station 1 cone approximately 15’ across from the pile of balls. (4 piles of balls-4  cones)

Have 1 player kneel behind each pile of balls. (they will be the rollers)
Have 2 players stand behind cones. (they will be the retrievers)
Remainder of players form a line either on right or left side of cone with their glove.

•     Line of players will assume a fielding position.
•     On coaches’ start they will shuffle in front of cones (one at a time) with glove, as the roller rolls a ball at them to be fielded and rolled back to same person who rolled it.
•     The second one in line takes off when the first gets to the third person in line. This way they don’t bunch up in the middle and the line moves swiftly.
•     Remainder of players not rolling or retrieving go thru the drill with their gloves and complete the drill.
•     When the first one reaches the end of the line he hustles back to beginning of drill and repeats the same process 3 times total.

Responsibilities of the retrievers are to make sure the rollers have baseballs in front of them to roll.
At the end of third time thru the players exchange positions and repeat drill. Should be done 3 times from one side.

Repeat the same drill from the other side once everyone has gone thru 3 times. (allows for left and right lateral movement)

Purpose of drill:
1. Increase Cardio
2. Shuffling reminds the girls to stay in 3 point stand when fielding balls
3. Look the ball into glove, tucking chin to chest for proper form
4. Getting ball out of glove quickly with the other hand as they roll it back
5. Proper lateral movement for infielders ( showing them not to stand and move laterally)
6. Coach can watch, correct, instruct on proper shuffling, fielding, etc

Suggestions/Extensions:
Coach can first do the drill with no gloves, bare handed (3 times)
2nd time with glove ( 3 times)
3rd  time fielding with glove and not using the none glove hand to roll back (field with glove, roll with glove)  more advanced (3 times)

Share this with other baseball coaches!

Gloveless Fielding Drill
4 positions (1st, 2nd, S.Stop, and 3rd)
1 coach on the infield grass facing 3rd and short, 1 coach on the infield grass facing 1st and 2nd. The players do not use their gloves for the first half of this drill.

The coach will throw ground balls to the fielders and they must field them without their gloves. This forces them into proper position because without their gloves its actually harder to “side scoop” or “sweep” the ball. It also forces them to use two hands to clamp down on the ball.

First we start out with moderately paced grounders straight at the players and gradually increase the speed and move the ball to both sides to get them to move their feet into proper fielding position.

After we have gone through several times with hard grounders to both sides then we allow them to put on their gloves and we go through it again several times.

Then the coaches back off and use a bat to hit the grounders. This progression should help get the players to think about the correct position when approaching the ball.

Bucket of Balls
Drop 10 base balls in the area where an infielder might have to make a play.
For extra fun add a stop watch to time speed. It also brings in a little competition for the fastest time.

The infielder as quickly as he/she has to get every ball and make the play to first.

The 1st baseman has a bucket to collect the balls accurately thrown to him/her.

Coaching points:

- Repetition of plays to first for any infielder.
- Best time for every position (each position should have its best time record, distance plays a role)
- Accuracy of throws.
-Best times so far 8yr old.
2nd base 22.3 secs.
Shortstop 23.8 sec.
3rd Base 24.7

Lots of fun, excellent skills improvements and never dull!

Fly Ball Pop-Up Drill
We begin with one ball and the kids run away from where I am standing and I throw a pop up or fly ball that they have to run underneath and catch.
It teaches them that they can often reach balls that they wouldn’t normally believe they could reach.
After they go through the drill a few times, we add a ball.
This time they run straight out and catch the fly ball, but then they turn toward their glove side and sprint across the field where I throw another ball they have to catch running sideways.

This drill can even add a third ball.  After they catch the second ball, they drop one of them and sprint out away from me again, and I hit them with a Hail Mary they have to position themselves under.

It is great for confidence in going after popups/flyballs and it also is a great conditioning drill.  They don’t even realize it is conditioning because it is so much fun.

Marathon Drill

• Player 1 starts at first base.
• That player takes a ground ball and throws to the catcher (Player 2).
• Player 1 runs to second, takes a ground ball and throws to Player 2 who has moved to first base.
• Player 1 runs to shortshop, takes ground ball and throws to first base.
• He runs to third base, takes ground ball, throws to first base and finally runs home. He takes a bunt ground ball and throws to first base.

You can score it this way:
1 point for good fielding play
1 point for good throw.

Player with the most points wins.

Trash Can Target Throw
Take metal trash can lids, paint a target on the inside of the lids with red and white paint and hang the targets on the fence.

Let the kids have at it with a base ball.  They love the loud “clang” when the ball hits the target.  It helps keep their interest because it is fun and challenging.

They really want to hit the target, so they slow down and focus on the technique that we’ve taught them.

Variation:  A game you can play with these targets is to have the kids stand 10 feet in front of the target.  After they have successfully hit the target twice they take a big stride back.  Hit the target two more times, take another stride back and so on.  See how far back they can go!

Cut-Off Drill
Another one of my favorite drills that we do almost every practice is a cut-off drill.

I line 5 or 6 kids in a line and have them work on throwing an accurate throw to one another.
The kid catching the ball sets his feet has his body turned, as if he was cutting a ball thrown from an outfielder.  He then throws to the next kid.
When the ball gets to the end they turn the other way and do it again.

This drill helps with accuracy, foot work and hand eye coordination.

Using three tees, put one at home plate (Tee #1), one on the edge of the outfield grass (Tee #2), and one in the outfield (Tee #3).

Each batter will hit 5 balls from each tee to players in the field, concentrating on one concept or principle at each tee, i.e. proper hitting stance, posture, touch step, opposite field hitting, etc., and then rotate to the next tee.

After hitting 15 balls total, the hitter becomes a fielder.

Vary the height of each tee to simulate pitches in different spots in the strike zone.

Players in the field are to call for each ball they intend to field (grounders too) to improve communication while playing the field in games.

For younger fielders have them rotate where they are playing so they can experience fielding on the dirt in the infield as well as the grass in the outfield.

Tag Out Drill
This drill is targeted to get the players to throw the ball to the proper location for a tag out – NOT a force out.

• I set up a 55 gallon trash can (laid down horizontally with the mouth open to the players) at 3rd base and home.
• Infielders will throw the ball from their position into the mouth of the can.
• This is practiced with infield and outfielders. (Outfielders may hit the cutoff man and then he turns and throws into the can).

This gets the throwers throwing the ball in the correct vicinity for the player to quickly apply the tag.

Four Corners
Set up four cones in a square about 10 feet apart.
One player stands next to a cone ( 4 players).
Player 1 flips the ball to player two, two to three, three to player four, four to player one.

This drill helps hand eye coordination as well as flipping the ball to any base when a player is to close to throw the ball. You can start with no gloves, then move to with gloves.
It was really beneficial for my 2nd basemen and shortstops, when it came to turning double plays.