Skill Outline: Hitting
OBJECTIVE:
With players that are just learning to hit, it is important that, as a coach, you do not
overload them with too much information. Ideally, a player should only be given 1 or
2 things to focus on at one time. It is more important that young hitters develop
good hand-eye coordination and confidence in making contact with the ball at this
stage.
KEY POINTS:

Grip
o
o



Knuckles lined up
Bat should rest comfortably at the base of the fingers (not resting deep in the
palms).
Stance
o Feet should be shoulder width apart in a comfortable, balanced, and ready position
o Imagine a straight line bisecting the body which travels from the hitter's nose, belly
button, and finishes between the feet on the ground.
Weight Transfer
o A solid base should be maintained throughout the swing (never lunging out in front
or collapsing the back side).
Straight To The Ball
o From ready / coil position, barrel should travel directly to the ball (no casting).
o After contact, swing should level off and lead into the follow through
Drill: Soft Toss
Objective:

Gives players an opportunity to work on specific areas of their swing.
Equipment:



Basballs (10-15)
Sock Screen / Fence
Bat
Description:




Players can do this in pairs or in groups of three (each group needs 6-10 baseballs).
Have players find an area next to a screened fence or the side of a batting cage.
Get one player to kneel in front and to the side of the hitter and toss a ball with little or no
arc in front of them.
After the hitter has had 10-15 quality swings, get the players to switch.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.


The pitcher should keep the delivery consistent so the hitter can find his/her timing.
Make sure hitter is striding and pivoting correctly, rotating hips, and throwing their hands
straight to the ball.
Drill: Duck and Cover
Objective:


Unfortunately, getting hit by the ball during an at bat is all part of the game.
The purpose of this drill is to prepare young players to react properly to a ball that is
accidentally thrown at them during a game.
Equipment:




Baseballs (15-20 tennis or wiffle balls)
Bats
Helmets
Cones
Description:


Coach stands approximately 15-20 feet away from the hitter and throws tennis balls to
his/her head and shoulder area.
In order for this drill to be effective, coach should mix in strikes with pitches intended to hit
the batter. This will keep hitters honest and stop them from developing habits of
automatically turning away from inside pitches.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.


This drill is intended to decrease a player's fear of the ball, not increase it, therefore, there is
no need for a coach to throw the ball hard.
Emphasize to players to drop the bat head down and turn their body away from the pitch. By
bending over and arching the back slightly, the ball will skip off the back which will hurt
much less than a ball hitting a player square in the back.
Drill: Tee Work
Objective:

Probably the most basic of all hitting drills, hitting off a tee is a great way to develop a
player's swing. Since the ball is stationary, this drill eliminates all other elements of hitting
including pitch location, velocity, and fear of the baseball, and allows the player to focus
primarily on their swing.
Equipment:




Basballs (10-15)
Sock Screen / Fence
1 Tee per hitter
1 Bat per hitter
Description:



This is a good drill to do in pairs or groups of 3.
Place a batting tee approximately 3-4 feet away from a wall or screen.
Set up for teams with 3 or more tees:
o 1 hitter per tee
o On coach's command, players take ready positions, swing, then gather up baseballs
and place them back on the tee.
o NOTE: this set up is designed for maximum safety. The more hitting tees a team
has, the more coaches should take caution for the drill.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.


Emphasis should be placed on quick hands and "swinging through the ball."
After each player has taken 8-10 quality swings rotate them.
Drill: Racquet BP
Objective:

This is a fun drill that gets young players used to hitting / striking a moving object. It is a
simple drill that is designed to develop hand-eye coordination and increase confidence.
Equipment:





Wiffle, or Tennis Balls (15-20)
Tennis Racquets (2)
Ball Bucket
Cones
Gloves (optional)
Description:






This drill is very similar to wiffle bp and can include up to 15 players.
Players are usually set-up as follows; 2 players hitting, 2 players catching behind the hitters,
1 player feeding tennis balls to the coach, and the rest in the field gathering balls.
Note: video shows example of 1 man hitting rotation only (see diagram for full illustration).
Players rotate (in pairs) from the field, to catching behind the hitters, to hitting, and finally
back to the field.
After coach has thrown a ball to one hitter, he/she immediately throws the next pitch to the
other hitter.
Players rotate after each group has had 10-15 quality swings.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.




The coach or pitcher should concentrate on giving the batters good pitches to hit.
Have the player who is feeding the coach stand directly behind the coach to avoid getting hit
by a line drive.
Even though an "L-Screen" is not mandatory, it is important for the coach to try and turn
away from the pitch after he/she has delivered it.
If one match has both left and right handed hitters, make sure that they are positioned as
far apart as possible to avoid injury (see picture above).
It is sometimes a good idea to have a pre-set hitting order to avoid confusion between
players over who will be the next group to hit.
Drill: Double Bunt
Objective:

This is a great drill for giving players an opportunity to practice bunting.
Equipment:




Baseballs (10-15)
Screen/Fence
Bats
Cones
Description:
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


Divide players into two groups. Place one group at second base and the other at home plate.
Two coaches throw from the front and back of the pitching mound (coach at the front of the
mound throws to hitters at the plate while coach standing at the back of the mound throws
to hitters at second base).
One at a time hitters assume the bunting position and attempt to bunt their ball down one
of the foul lines.
After laying down a bunt, players run hard through first base (players bunting from second
run hard through third base) then jog over and join the other line.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.


It may help to place cones where you want the players to bunt the ball.
Full distance for throwing is not needed. It's the angles that are important
Skill Outline: Catching
OBJECTIVE:
Like hitting and throwing, players just learning the skill for the first time should only
be given 1 or 2 things to work on at a time. Below are the basic fundamentals for
teaching the skill of catching a baseball.
KEY POINTS :



Hands
o For balls received above the waist (line drives or fly balls), players should use the
"thumb to thumb" technique.
o For balls received below the waist (ground balls), players should use the "pinky to
pinky" technique.
Stance
o Player's head, eyes, and glove should be facing towards the target.
o Glove and hands should start at mid-chest level.
Motion
o Players should practice moving their feet to make the catch in front of their body.
Drill: Corner Drill
Objective:

Give first and third basemen an opportunity to practice proper footwork and throwing to
second base to initiate the double play.
Equipment:



Bat/Fungo
3-4 Baseballs
Bases / Throwdowns
Description:
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




Organize players into two groups (first basemen and third baseman) and have them face the
same way.
Have two other players assigned to be "rollers."
First basemen will be fielding the ball then turning to make the throw to their right.
Third basemen will field the ball and make the throw to their left.
Each player will take turns acting as the middle infielder. For instance, when the ball is hit to
the third baseman, the first baseman will take the throw as if he were playing second.
Pattern is as follows:
o Roller one throws to third baseman, third baseman fields the ball and throws to
first.
o First baseman catches the ball and throws to roller two who then throws a ground
ball back to him.
o First baseman fields the ball, pivots, and throws the ball to second baseman who
then throws the ball back to roller one.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.

Give players a lot of repetitions and allow them opportunities to field balls hit straight at
them, to their forehand, as well as to their back hand.
Drill: High - Low
Objective:

To give entry level players practice at catching balls thrown above and below the waist.
Equipment:


Balls (6-10 preferably Incrediballs).
Gloves
Description:


Have players pair up and kneel down on both knees approximately 6-10 feet apart (1 ball
per group).
Once players are positioned, each one takes turns throwing the ball back and forth to each
other.
Key Points:


If the ball is thrown above the waist, players should receive the ball with their thumbs
together and fingers pointed upward (see figure 1).
If the ball is thrown below the waist, players should receive the ball with their little fingers
touching (pinky) and the rest of their fingers pointed downward (see figure 2).
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.




Since the object of this particular drill is to develop hand-eye coordination and "soft hands,"
players do not need to throw the ball hard.
It is a good idea to start players off without their gloves. This will help in trying to get them to
absorb the force of the ball as they make the catch.
Once players put on their gloves, have them back up and throw a littler harder.
Once players are confident catching on their knees, do this drill from a standing position.
Drill: Kneeling Grounders
Objective:


Decrease players' fear of the ball.
Emphasize receiving the ball out in front of the body.
Emphasize "pinky to pinky" technique for catching balls below the waist.
Equipment:



Gloves
20-30 Baseballs
Ball bucket
Description:



Position players in a single line (kneeling down on both knees) facing the coach
Players receive the ball in front of their body, then place the ball directly behind them.
After three or four rounds (or when balls have run out), players collect the balls in their area
and place them back in the bucket.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.

Balls do not have to be thrown hard for this drill. Again, the emphasis should be placed on
catching the ball properly. As players get better, the coach can back up and throw harder.
Drill: Pass It On
Objective:

Improve players' hand-eye coordination and concentration.
Equipment:

Baseballs (1 for each group)
Description:



Organize players into a circle.
To start, only use 1 ball for every 2 players.
Players are to simply receive balls from the individual on their right and pass them on to the
player on their left. After going left, have players switch to throwing to their right.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.

To make things more challenging, coaches can add more balls, spread the players further
apart, or a combination of both.
Drill: Shuffle Catch
Objective:

Improve players' hand-eye coordination and agility.
Equipment:

Baseballs (1 for each set of partners)
Description:



Divide players into partners and line them up along one of the foul lines.
Players should start 5-10 feet apart depending on ability.
in this drill players are tossing a ball back and forth to each other while shuffling sideways in
a straight line.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.


Emphasis should be placed on moving quickly and making good throws.
To make things more challenging, coaches can add another ball, spread the players further
apart, or incorporate some sort of relay race.
Drill: Slow Rollers
Objective:

To give entry level players practice fielding ground balls and making throws to other players.
Equipment:


Balls (6-10 preferably Iincrediballs).
Gloves
Description:


Have players pair up and position themselves along one of the foul lines.
Players get down into a fielding postion and roll ground balls to each other (starting off
without the use of gloves).
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.

Begin with throwing ground balls directly at partner, then move to backhands and
forehands.
Start players off without gloves.
Drill: Tennis Ball Reaction
Objective:

To give entry level players practice reacting to balls hit directly at them and catching line
drives.
Equipment:




Balls (10-20 tennis balls).
Screen
Tennis Racquets
Gloves
Description:



This drill is designed to take away an entry level player's fear of a ball (this is the reason for
using tennis balls).
Coach simply lines players up along a fence and kneels down approximately 15-20 away.
Coach goes down the line and hits tennis balls to each player.
o Round 1 - ground balls (see video 1)
o Round 2 - line drives (see video 2)
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.


Distance between coach and players, as well as ball velocity should be tapered to player's
age and skill level. Again, this drill is designed to decrease fear of balls and increase
reaction speed so it is important that proper progressions are taken.
Coaches can position two separate groups if need (line drives, and ground balls).
To make this drill more challenging, have players do it without their gloves.
Drill: Triangle Ground Ball
Objective:


To improve players' footwork for ground balls.
Give players an opportunity to practice picking up ground balls and throwing them to their
left and right.
Equipment:




Gloves
1-2 Baseballs
Ball bucket
Bases/Cones
Description:




Position players in a triangle formation (cones may help for younger players).
For the first part of the drill, the ball should be thrown to the left (Video 1).
After a few trials, players can then switch and throw to their right (Video 2).
See Diagram for outline of throwing pattern.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.


Start with players close together. Once players' confidence has increased, increase the
distance between the cones/bases.
Emphasis should be placed on proper footwork, not throwing velocity.
MOTOR SKILLS:
These drills are designed to increase a player's agility (the ability to change the body's direction
while maintaining it's speed). Defensive baseball postitions require rapid changes of direction
forward, backward, laterally, and vertically.
When starting these drills, the primary focus should be directed towards proper technique. After
the athlete masters technique, focus should shift more towards quickness and speed.
Skill Outline: Throwing
OBJECTIVE:
Like hitting, players just learning the skill for the first time should only be given 1 or
2 things to work on at a time. Below are the basic fundamental for teaching the skill
of throwing a baseball.
KEY POINTS:



Grip
o
o
o
o
Stance
o
o
Motion
o
o
o
o
Fingers across the seams
Thumb bisects the back of the ball
Space between palm and ball
Ball should be held loosely in the hand...."like an egg."
Player's head, eyes, and glove should be facing towards the target.
Glove and hands should start at mid-chest level.
As hands move down and break, front leg begins stride towards target.
Arms should be equal and opposite with baeball facing away from player.
Ball should be released slightly above and in front of the head.
After ball is released, player begins follow-throug
Drill: 1 Knee Drill
Objective:

The purpose and setup of this drill is similar to the two-knee throwing drill. It is designed to
practice proper throwing mechanics of the upper body as well as emphasize extending the
front side.
Equipment:


Baseballs (1 between partners)
Gloves (optional)
Description:



Divide players into partners and line them up along one of the foul lines.
Players should be positioned 15-20 feet apart (distance is also dependant on arm strength
and accuracy).
In this drill the player kneels down on the leg that his/her throwing-hand is on (ie. if the
player throws with his/her right hand, he/she would kneel down on the right leg).
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.




Emphasis should be placed on accuracy.
Start with hands at mid-chest.
Players should throw the ball using a 4 seam grip and aim for their partner's chest.
This drill can be done with or without a glove depending on skill level.
Drill: 2 Knee Drill
Objective:

The purpose of this drill is to emphasize proper throwing mechanics of the upper body.
Equipment:


Baseballs (1 between partners)
Gloves (optional)
Description:


Divide players into partners and line them up along one of the foul lines.
Players should be positioned 15-20 feet apart (distance is also dependant on arm strength
and accuracy).
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.




Emphasis should be placed on accuracy.
Start with hands at mid-chest.
Players should throw the ball using a 4 seam grip and aim for their partner's chest.
This drill can be done with or without gloves depending on skill level of players
Drill: Cross Legged Drill
Objective:

The purpose of this drill is to emphasize proper throwing mechanics of the wrist and forearm
and to develop good spin.
Equipment:



Baseballs (1 between partners)
Gloves
Cones
Description:


Divide players into partners and line them up along one of the foul lines.
Players should be positioned 10-15 feet apart (cross-legged).

Holding the ball across the seams (see skill outline for details), with non-throwing hand
supporting the throwing elbow, player flicks the ball to his/her partner.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.



Emphasis should be placed on proper spin and grip.
Players should throw the ball using a 4 seam grip and aim for their partner's chest.
After a few repetitions, back players up and have them throw without holding their elbows
(see video)
Drill: Lay Down Drill
Objective:

This is a fun drill designed to develop strength in the wrist as well as emphasize proper
backspin.
Equipment:



Balls (1 between partners)
Note: it may be a good idea to use incrediballs or softees for this drill
Gloves
Description:




Divide players into partners and line them up along one of the foul lines.
Players should be positioned 5-10 feet apart depending on arm strength.
One partner lays down (using their glove as a head rest) while the other stands in front of
them with a baseball.
Partner standing simply lobs the ball to the player on the ground. The player on the ground
checks for proper gip and throws ball to partner's chest.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.



For younger players, it may be safer for the partner standing to roll the ball back instead of
lobbing it in the air.
Emphasis should be placed on flicking the wrist and getting good backspin.
Players should throw the ball using a 4 seam grip and aim for their partner's chest
Drill: Stride and Throw
Objective:

This drill is designed around the very basics of throwing from a standing position. It is an
excellent starting point for entry-level players.
Equipment:

Balls (1 between partners)

Gloves
Description:



Divide players into partners and line them up along one of the foul lines.
Players should be positioned 25-30 feet apart.
Before players start throwing, make sure they are facing the proper direction (ie. players
should have their glove-hand side pointed towards the target - see picture).
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.


Emphasis should be placed on simply "stepping and throwing."
Players should throw the ball using a 4 seam grip and aim for their partner's chest
Drill: 5 Point Throwing Drill
Objective:


This is a fun drill designed to develop throwing accuracy, ball awareness, and quick hands.
Improve players' footwork for throwing to the left, right, and straight in front of them.
Equipment:



Baseballs (up to 3 per group)
Gloves
Cones
Description:



This drill is very similar to the Box Throwing Drill
Divide players into groups of five and position them into the shape of a star (see diagram).
Players should be positioned 15-20 feet apart depending on arm strength.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.



As players develop more confidence, the coach can add more balls (see video 2).
Note: it may be a good idea to use incrediballs or softees for this drill
Players should throw the ball using a 4 seam grip and aim for their partner's chest.
MINOR GAMES FOR TEAM
Drill: Beat the Ball
Diagram
Objective:


This is a quick and easy minor game that incorporates all aspects of defensive skills and
baserunning.
The goal for each hitter is to successfully hit the ball and run around the bases before the
defense can throw the ball to every base (including home plate).
Equipment:





Balls (1-5)
Bats
Hitting Tee
Gloves
Helmets
Description:




Fill all nine defensive positions with players and have the rest line up ready to hit.
Hitters must hit a ball off a Tee then run the bases in consecutive order (first, second, third,
home).
The defense must throw the ball to each base in the proper order (first, second, third, home).
Any type of hit ball must be fielded and thrown to each base. For instance, even if a players
catches a fly ball (which would mean that the hitter would be out in a real game), he/she
must still throw the ball to first to start the sequence.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.

Make sure that players wear helmets for this drill.
Drill: Break Through
Diagram
Objective:


This is a quick and easy minor game that empasizes the importance of backing up other
players.
The goal for each team is to not allow a ground ball to be hit through their side of the infield.
Equipment:





Balls (1-5)
Ball Bucket
Fungo
Gloves
Cones
Description:




Place 3-6 infielders on one side of the diamond (between second and first for example) and
label them as team 1.
Do the same on the other side of the diamond (between second and third) and make them
team 2.
Coaches position themselves to hit ground balls to each group (one takes the left side, the
other takes the right).
If the fielders keep the ball from going past the dirt of the infield cut-out on their side of the
diamond, they receive one point (the game goes to 11).
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.



Make sure that teams are made as equal as possible.
Some fields do not have an infield cut-out, therefore coaches may want to use cones as
boundaries instead.
Try to avoid letting one player make all the plays (you may want to rotate players around or
hit ground balls to different areas of the field).
Drill: King of The Clouds
Diagram
Objective:

This is a great drill that allows young players to test their outfielding skills under pressure.
Equipment:





Balls (10-15)
Fungo
Ball Bucket
Gloves
Cones
Description:






Gather players in one or two spots (preferably in the outfield somewhere).
Coach hits each player a fly ball.
The player's job is to field the fly ball cleanly in order to remain in the game.
If the ball is fielded cleanly, the player returns to the end of the line and awaits his/her next
turn.
If a ball is bobbled or dropped, the player is eliminated (it's a good idea to have a few
practice rounds, however).
The game ends when one fielder is left standing
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.

Coaches act as judges and decide if the player does the job of fielding the ball cleanly or not.
Drill: King of The Hill
Diagram
Objective:

This is a great drill that allows young players to test their infielding skills under pressure.
Equipment:





Balls (10-15)
Fungo
Ball Bucket
Gloves
Cones
Description:

Gather players in one spot (either at second or shortstop area).
Coach hits each player a ground ball.
The player's job is to field the ground ball cleanly in order to remain in the game.
If a ball is bobbled or dropped, the player must leave the line.
The game ends when one fielder is left standing
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.

Coaches act as judges and decide if the player does the job of keeping the ball in front or
not.
Drill: Position Sprint
Diagram
Objective:

This is a fun drill that teaches players the numbers of each specific fielding position. It is
also a great way to end practice.
Equipment:



Baseball Diamond
Bases
Stopwatch
Description:






Give all the players a number from 1-9 (if there are more than 9 players then double them
up with someone.
Have everyone start in one place (the dugout).
On the coach's command, players sprint to the position number they are given (ie. players
who are number 3 sprint to first base, players who are number 7 sprint to left field...etc).
Once every player has reached their repective position, coach signals everyone to return to
the starting area.
After a short break, players sprint back onto the field only this time, sprint to the next
position number (ie. players who were number 3 now sprint out to position number 4 second base).
The drill ends when every player has sprinted to each position.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.


It is a good idea to take the time to review the numbers of the positions before having the
players run out onto the field.
To add an element of team competition, record the total time of the drill with a stopwatch.
Drill: Round Trip Relay
Diagram
Objective:

This drill focuses on developing speed on the base paths and is also a great way to finish off
a practice.
Equipment:



Baseball Diamond
Bases
Cones
Description:




Divide players into two equal teams (place one team at second and one team at home
plate). Coach stands in the middle of the field near the pitcher's mound.
On the coach's command the race starts (it is sometimes fun to toss a ball up in the middle
of the diamond and have the first player in each line start their sprint as soon as the ball hits
the ground).
As players approach the base from which they started from, the next player in line stands in
front of the base and gets into ready position.
The next player in line can leave the base after his/her partner has touched it with their foot.
The first team to get all of their players around the basepaths wins.
Teaching Tips / Progressions:.

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It is a good idea to take the time to ensure that teams are as even as possible.
Make sure that players run the bases using proper technique (hitting the inside of the bag
with their inside foot).
A simple progression could incorporate players running with a ball and passing it on to the
next runner.