Purpose

To practice handling a wild pitch when a runner is on 3rd base.

Drill Setup

  • Place your infield players in their regular positions.
  • Place a runner on 3rd base.
  • Coach stands behind the catcher.
Infield players must quickly react to a wild pitch and try to prevent the runner from scoring

How it Works

  1. To begin, coach secretly places a baseball somewhere behind the catcher while catcher keeps his eyes on the pitcher. (the catcher should not know where ball is placed)
  2. On the coaches whistle, the base runner sprints toward home plate. At the same time, the catcher must turn around and locate the baseball while the pitcher runs to cover home plate.
  3. When the catcher finds the ball, he tries to quickly toss the ball to the pitcher covering home. The pitcher then tags out the sliding runner.
  4. When pitcher runs to cover home plate, second baseman should run to the mound as a backup in case the ball is overthrown to home plate by the catcher.
  5. Rotate through the drill so everyone who plays catcher, pitcher, and second base has a turn running through this drill

Coaching Tips

  • Encourage your pitcher to help navigate the catcher toward the ball behind them as they run in to cover home plate.
  • Make it harder: Throw a live wild pitch and have the catcher chase it down
  • Make it easier: Position the baserunner farther away (even all the way to second base) so your pitchers and catchers have more time to practice the drill.