Here is a drill that I love. It is called Take out the Trash! It teaches players how to hit the cut-off, accuracy of their throw to home, & speed with fielding the ball.
Take Out The Trash
Supplies: 2 garbage cans/barrels (old metal ones), 2 bats, 50 balls, 2 coaches, and a bunch of excited, ready-to-play baseball players
Length of Drill: 20 min
Instructions:
- Split the team up between left field and right field.
- Post a cut-off player at short stop and another at 2nd base.
- Set up 2 garbage cans/barrels at home plate lying on their side with the open end of the barrel facing the field. One is angled toward short stop and the other angled toward 2nd base.
- Once the team is ready to go and the garbage cans are in position, have one coach stand near home to the left of the 3rd base line and another near home to the right of the 1st base line.
- Then proceed to each hit or throw 25 balls (one at a time) into their respective outfield positions. [i.e. = 3rd base Coach would hit/throw to left field; 1st base Coach would hit/throw to right field]
The idea is to get the outfielder to catch the fly or field the ball quickly, then throw it to the cut-off, who would then throw it into their can/barrel at home plate (simulating a runner going home to score).
Once the outfielder makes the throw, he then moves to the back of the line and the next ball is hit/thrown by the Coach and repeats the process.
Whichever team has the most balls in the can/barrel at the end of the 25 balls WINS. Then switch positions and have another player rotate into the cut-off position.