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• Line up your players across from each other approximately 15 ft. away kneeling on one knee.
• Place the balls with players on one side only so you can monitor the drill effectively.
• The players with the balls should be on their right knee for right handers and left knee for left handers. They should have their front leg pointing at their target and their hands should be together at the chest.
• Have the players with the balls throw the ball chest high to the players receiving the ball. The players should have their lead shoulder pointing at the person across from them and should throw with their elbow above their shoulder.

Tip: Coach should make sure that the player’s elbow is above their shoulder and that their front shoulder is pointed at the target. The coach should also make sure that the player is following through completely with their throwing arm landing across their leg. This drill can be used with weighted balls also.
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B. Laydown Drill
This drill teaches the player to throw with their elbow above their shoulder.

Equipment Needed: 1 ball per 2 players, 1 glove for all of participants

Drill Procedure:

• Line up your players across from each other approximately 15 ft. away. One player laying down and the other one standing.
• Give balls to the players laying down.
• While laying down, the player should practice throwing the ball with their elbow above their shoulder. Their head should be off the ground looking at the target. The throws should be thrown chest high.
• Continue until the player is consistently throwing properly hitting their target.

Tip: Coach should make sure that the player’s elbow is above their shoulder while throwing. The coach should also be watching for accurate throws. This drill can be used with weighted balls also.
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C. Chair Drill
This drill teaches the player to throw over their stride leg and to follow through to be ready to field a ball.

Equipment Needed: 1 ball per 2 players, a chair, and 1 glove for all of participants

Drill Procedure:

• Line up your players across from each other approximately 15 ft. away. One player with their back foot on a chair(shoe laces down) and the other player in a catcher’s stance.
• Give balls to the players with their foot on the chair.
• The player should have their front leg (stride leg) out in front pointing toward their target and should lean back and throw to their target. The back foot (pivot foot) should roll toward 3rd base, but should remain on the chair.

Tip: Coach should make sure that the player is balanced and can field a ball after they throw the pitch. They should also make sure that the player’s elbow is outside the stride leg knee and not over the top of it.
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D. Target Drill
This drill will teach the player to keep their eyes on the target and will help increase their ability to throw the ball where they want to.

Equipment Needed: Baseballs or Softballs, a target, and 1 glove for all of participants

Drill Procedure:

• Coach should hang up a target with different colors on it. It can be an old blanket, a pitch back, a net, or anything else you can think of.
• After the target is in place, line up your players parallel to the target approximately 15 ft. away at first and steadily move back to their regular pitching distance.
• Give each player a ball.
• Have the 1st player get in their balanced position and hold it for 5 seconds. Now have them throw it to the color that you choose. The next player should be in their balanced position as the player in front of them is throwing.
• Continue moving further away from the target as the players get more accurate.

Tip: Coach should make sure that the player is getting to the balance point in their delivery before throwing. The coach should also be looking at pitching mechanics and accuracy. This is a great drill for infielders and outfielders as well.
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E. Bunt Drill
This drill helps the player understand bunt situations and helps them communicate with the 1st and 3rd basemen.

Equipment Needed: Baseballs or Softballs and 1 glove for all of participants

Drill Procedure:

• The coach should have their infield players in their regular positions and the pitchers taking turns at pitcher’s mound.
• The coach has the pitcher throw the ball to the catcher and the coach bunts the ball.
• Depending on the situation, the pitcher fields the ball and throw it to the appropriate base. The catcher should be in charge of telling the pitcher where to throw the ball. With a runner on 2nd base, the 3rd basemen should be staying back at the base and the pitcher should be fielding the 3rd base side.
• The pitcher should communicate to the 1st and 3rd basemen before every play.

Tip: Coach should bunt to both sides of the field and mix up the different situations. The coach should also be looking for communication between the players. Communication is the key to making this drill work. The pitcher needs to know when the ball should be fielded by the corner players.
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F. Covering First Drill
This drill is to teach the pitcher how and when to cover 1st base.

Equipment Needed: Baseballs or Softballs, fungo bat, and 1 glove for all of participants

Drill Procedure:

• The coach should have their infield players in their regular positions and the pitchers taking turns at pitcher’s mound.
• The coach hits the ball between the 1st basemen and the 2nd basemen.
• The pitcher covers 1st base while the 1st basemen and 2nd basemen decide who is going to field the ball.
• The position player throws the ball to the pitcher at 1st base.
  If the pitcher catches the ball on the run, try to step on the bag with the right foot and angle toward center field after tagging the base.

Tip: The coach should train the pitcher to get to the base before the throw is made from the other players so they can plant their foot on the inside part of the base. Obviously, getting to the base before the other players throw the ball is not always the case so show the pitcher the safest way to tag the base on the run (which is the inside part of the base).
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G. Long Toss Drill
This drill is to help strengthen the arm and to stretch the arm.

Equipment Needed: Baseballs or Softballs and 1 glove for all of participants

Drill Procedure:

• After warming the arms up, split the players into 4 groups.
• After splitting the team into 4 groups, pair up teams 1 and 2 and teams 3 and 4 to throw to each other.
• Spread the players out to 90ft., 120ft., 150ft., 180ft., etc. (keep the distance a comfortable distance) across from each other.
• Have the players throw the ball back and forth throwing the ball high and long making sure that they are not short-arming the ball. As soon as the player in front of the other players throws, the next player moves up.
• Start a contest that makes the players play as a team. e.g. The team who makes the fewest errors is the winner, etc.

Tip: Coach should watch the players throw and should make sure that they are throwing long and high stretching out the arm. They should also be looking for players who short-arm the ball.
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H. Balance and Hand Break Drill
This drill teaches the player balance and show them the proper way to separate the hands.

Equipment Needed: Baseballs or Softballs and 1 glove for all of participants

Drill Procedure:

• Pair up the players with a partner and spread them out approximately 45 ft.
• Give the ball to the players on one side.
• Have the players get to their balance point and hold for 10 seconds. (The balance point for a right hander is when the left leg is bent and the knee is straight across from their waist.)
• After they show that they are balanced, have them separate their hands over their knee (like cracking an egg over it) and have them throw to their partner.
• Have their partner do the same thing. Repeat as many times as necessary.

Tip: Coach should look for the player to reach a balance point, separate the hands, and throw without falling off balance. The key to being a successful pitcher is balance and this drill will help them.

Next Up: Receiving (Catching) Drills >>