I have several favorite baseball practice drills. This drill works well for us getting the team warmed up and loose. I call it the Ground Ball drill.
Ground Ball Drill:
Player is at First, one at Home, Remaining players line up at third base.
Coach hits a ground ball to the first one at third base. He fields the ball, throws to first. First throws home. Each player follows his throw. In other words, the third baseman fields the ground ball, throws to first, and goes to first to receive the throw from the next player. The player at first goes home when he throws home.
Two rounds at third base, then they move to shortstop. Same thing – two rounds, then move to second. Two rounds of ground balls at second, throwing to first, first throwing home. Next, players go to shortstop, another player is at second base, and one at first and home.
Coach hits ball to short, he feeds ball to second (for double play), second throws to first and first throws home. Two rounds of this following their throw to cover the next base.
When this is completed, the line moves to second and the coach hits the ball to second, players feeding ball to shortstop to first (double play starting at second). Then put the line of players at second, one at first and one home. Ground balls are hit between first and third working on communication between the first baseman and the second baseman.
They continue by following their throw. After a couple of rounds to each player, we finish with the line of players at first receiving ground balls, throwing home and following their throw home.
We do this drill for about 15 – 20 minutes warming them up on grounders, throwing accurately, and hustling.