BASEBALL DRILLS

INFIELD BASEBALL DRILLS FOR PRACTICE

The baseball drills on this page are great for practices and can also be used individually to improve fielding skills.

FOUR CORNER BOX DRILLS

These baseball drills will help improve the fielding skills for infielders, catchers, and outfielders as well.

Purpose:
Develop eye hand coordination, quicker hands and feet, and a rhythm for catching and releasing the ball.

Set Up:
This drill can be done on the infield with three players at each base. The first player is at the base and two players waiting in line several feet behind the base.

• With beginning players place temporary bases closer together and use tennis balls. The outfield grass is a good place for the temporary bases.
  
• Also, with larger groups temporary bases can be placed in the outfield setting up two throwing boxes in left and right fields.

Drill Set:

• Start with the ball at one base and throw clockwise around the four corner box.
  
• Players catch and release the ball, then move to the back of their line. The next player steps up to the base catching the next throw.
  Teaching Point: Instruct players to keep their thumbs together when catching the ball. This will keep their hands together and allow for quicker exchange from the glove to the bare hand.
  
• Players should turn toward the inside of the box when catching and releasing the ball.
  
• The coach can control the action by calling for the ball to be reversed to the counter clock-wise direction.

• FIVE PLAYER ROTATION BOX
  Place a player in the center of the box. Players may throw to the person in the center position at any time or may choose to advance the ball to another player on the corner of the box.

  
  Players may not throw the ball back in the direction it came from and can not throw it diagonally across the box skipping the center person. (This can create confusion when changing positions in line)

  
  Players must hustle to change position in line and be ready for the next throw.

  
  Use only one person in the middle, but stop occasionally to switch them with another fielder.

• FOUR CORNER THROWING FOR TIME
  Throw the ball around the box for time using a stop watch.
  It works best to time at least two or three rotations clockwise or counter clockwise. Coach can also give signal to change the direction of the ball during the drill for time.

  
  These two drills above are fun, fast moving baseball drills for advanced players. The ball will be moving in various directions with rapid fire and release. Advanced players must be continually challenged in order to make progress in fielding skills.

SOFT HANDS
Purpose:
To develop softer and quicker hands, a must for good infield play. Anyone that is serious about becoming a better infielder, especially a middle infielder, must purchase and train with soft hand tools.

Set Up:
A soft hand tool is worn on the glove hand, in place of the glove. It teaches an infielder to correctly give with the ball, developing “softer hands”. There are a number of these on the market, but I would suggest the foam ones, they are inexpensive and work well for all ages and hand sizes. Slide the fingers into the elastic bands on the back side of the soft hands for control.

Drill Set:
Fielders field the ball using the soft hands. It’s best if a coach can use a bucket of balls and roll the balls to the fielder.

VARIATIONS:

• One Hop Drill
  Players stand 20-30 feet apart and throw one hoppers to each other. The ball should land at a target 2-3 feet in front of the partners fielders soft hands, causing them to catch the ball on a short hop.
  
• FOUR CORNER DRILL USING SOFT HANDS

Baseball - Pro Performance Adult Single Soft Hands - Pro Performance Adult Single Soft Hands Pro Performance Adult Single Soft Hands Single Soft Hands is a great training aid. Your fielding hand easily slips into elastic loops for complete control. The Softhands Infield Trainer can be used - Baseball On Field Accessory -

SMALL BALL DRILLS
Purchase some small balls and perform the soft hand drills listed above.

Baseball - Jugs Bucket w/ 4 Dozen Small Balls - B5135 - Jugs Bucket w/ 4 Dozen Small Balls - B5135 Bucket comes with dozen Small Foam Balls. The Foam Small Ball is designed to teach the hitter to track the ball from release point to impact zone. Increase the hitters mental concentration by hitt - Baseball Training Balls -

WALL DRILLS
Purpose:
Improve fielding skills without the need of hitting fungo-bat ground balls by a coach.

We constructed “Coach Wall” when our baseball facility was originally built. I’m not sure what we would do without "Coach Wall". Our players go to the field on their own to take ground balls from the wall. It’s an invaluable tool.

Set Up:
A concrete block wall can be constructed at least thirty feet wide and five feet tall.
I would suggest having a block mason construct the wall and follow their professional advice. (Such as pouring a footer for the block, using rebar, and pouring concrete in some of the columns. This will ensure that the wall is sturdy and does not fall down).

(You can tell from the photo above, "Coach Wall" gets plenty of use.)

Drill Set:
There are a number of baseball drills that can be done on the block wall to improve a player's fielding skills.
Here are some examples:

• One Line Drill
  Players (6-8) stand in one line 20-25 feet away from the center of the wall.
  Each player catches the ball and throws it against the wall.
  The player throwing the ball moves to their left and allows the next player in line to catch the ball.
  Note: Players should try and throw the ball low off the wall. After a few throws they will adjust to the rebound off the wall.
  
  Emphasize correct fielding skills and techniques, with the fielder reaching out to field the ball placing their bare hand on top, then funneling the ball/glove into their belly button, with head down on the ball.

  
  

• Two Line Drill:
  Players stand in two lines with 4-6 in each line.
  Players stand 20-25 feet from the wall and the two lines are 15-20 feet apart.
  Players must throw the ball low to the wall at an angle for the ball to rebound towards the player in the opposite line.
  It takes a few practice throws for the players to get the hang of it.

  
  Players throw and quickly advance to the back of the opposite line. This is a good quick moving drill. It is used as progression drill after players begin developing and become more advanced. Go slow at first so players learn how to get out of the way of the next throw.

• Four Player Rotation Drill:
  Two players stand at opposite ends of the wall.
  This works the same way as the two line drill above but is much quicker.
  Players must really hustle and get to the end of the line in time to move up for the next throw.

  
  This is a great baseball drill for older or advanced players.
  (This drill can also be done with only three players for even a bigger challenge. Works the same way as a three man weave drill in basketball)

• Technique Drills
  Work individually with players on their fielding skills and techniques. Coach throws the ball off the wall while teaching the player correct footwork to approach the ball, fielding techniques, top hand technique, looking the ball in, etc.,.

• SOFT HAND DRILLS
  Work on the above baseball drills using soft hand tools.

• TENNIS BALLS OR SMALL BALLS
  Same drills above can be used with tennis balls or small balls.
  The small balls work especially well with the soft hand tools.
  Our players also like to throw rubber pitching machine balls off the walls.
  Note: The wall drills are good on rainy days when it may be too wet to get on the field. It’s also good for individual pre practice/post practice routines.

BASEBALL DRILLS WILL IMPROVE A PLAYERS FIELDING SKILLS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND REPETITION.

REMEMBER:
PRACTICE DOESN'T MAKE PERFECT, PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. CONCENTRATE ON PROPER TECHNIQUES

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