In today’s article, we share 5 tips for better glovework when fielding, as well as some basic glove drills that you can incorporate into your next baseball fielding practice!
Tip #1: Use Your Feet
Good fielders look like they have soft hands, but it is really their feet that are allowing their hands to work so freely. The better your footwork, the easier your glove work becomes and the smoother it looks. When your feet shut down, your hands follow, and your body responds by getting stiff.
Tip #2: Position your Glove for Maximum Benefit
Push the heel of your glove hand wrist toward the baseball. The glove should be more perpendicular than parallel to the ground. This allows you to use all of your glove and prevent balls that take a hop from rolling up your arm.
Tip #3: Keep your hands extended
When you keep the hands extended, the ball and glove are always in your line of vision, and on a bad hop, you still have room to bring your glove into your body to make the play.
Tip #4: Relax your glove hand
Relax your glove hand while fielding a ball. All of your reflexes are quicker when you are relaxed, and the ball will stick in your glove easier if you don’t tense up.
Tip #5: Start low & Stay Balanced
With a short hop from a throw or a hard hit ball, start with your glove on the ground and work up to field the ball. It is easier and quicker to move up than down. Once the ball is secure in your glove, bring it to your chest. Keeping the ball in the middle of your body helps keep you balanced and in a strong position to throw.