Fielding Drills
Thrown Grounders
Benefits - The Thrown Grounders drill can be used to teach fundamentals of fielding grounders to inexperienced players.
Directions – Position players 20-25 feet in front of the coach. Throw ground balls to the first player. After the player fields each ball, she should turn and throw the ball back to you. Make the player move to the right, to the left, and forward to field the ball. After 3 grounders, the player should move to the end of the line. The coach should make sure the players get in front of the ball and use proper fielding and throwing techniques.
Thrown Fly Balls
Benefits - The Thrown Fly Balls drill can be used to teach fundamentals of fielding fly balls to inexperienced players.
Directions - Position players 50-60 feet in front of you. Assign a catcher to stand next to you. Throw fly balls to the first player. After the player fields each ball, she should turn and throw the ball back to the catcher. Make the player move to the right, to the left, forward, and backward to field the ball. After 3 fly balls, the player should move to the catcher position and the original catcher should move to the end of the line. Make sure the players get in under the ball and use proper fielding and throwing techniques.
Grounders
Benefits - The Grounders drill can be used to provide more experienced players practice fielding ground balls.
Directions – Position players in two lines: one line at midpoint between 1B and 2B and one line between 2B and 3B. Two coaches should hit balls from opposite sides of home plate. One player should catch balls for each coach. Hit three balls to first fielder who should throw to the catcher. After third grounder, the fielder should move to the catcher position and the current catcher should move to the end of the opposite fielding line.
Fly Balls
Benefits - The Fly Balls drill helps improve fielding fundamentals, outfield communication, backup responsibility, hitting the cutoff and making the relay throw.
Directions – Position players in two lines in the outfield, 30 feet apart. Put one player in a relay position and one player next to the coach to catch the returned balls. The coach should hit fly balls between first two players in line and have them call for the ball while the other backs up the play. The player in right line should move to the end of the left line. The player in left line should move to the relay position. The player in the relay position should move to catch balls for the coach. The previous player catching for the coach should move to the end of the right line.
Lateral Movement
Benefits - The Lateral Movement drill helps improve a fielder’s skills associated with making catches on the move.
Directions - Position 6 tossers in a row. Each should have a ball and be standing 10-15 feet apart. Position a receiver up to 50 feet in front of tosser 1. Tosser 1 should initiate the drill by throwing a grounder to the receiver who should throw the ball back to tosser 1 and should get back into defensive position. Tosser 2 should then throw a ground ball to the receiver's right who should move laterally to field the ball and should throw the ball back to back to tosser 2. This process should continue until the receiver has been thrown a ball from each tosser. After the last tosser, the receiver should reverse direction and should receive a ball from each tosser again but moving to the left. Once the receiver has been thrown a ball from each tosser twice, tosser 1 should become the receiver, the tosser line should move down and the original receiver should become the last tosser. The drill should continue until all of the tossers get the opportunity to be a receiver. A second and third set can be added using line drives and fly balls.
Lateral Pickup
Benefits - The Lateral Pickup drill helps improve a fielder’s skills associated with making catches on the move.
Directions – Pair up players with each standing about 6 to 10 feet apart. The tosser should roll the ball about 5 to 6 feet to the right of the fielder who should move laterally to field the ball and throw it underhand back to the tosser. The tosser then should roll the ball 5 to 6 feet to the fielder's left and should continue in this manner for 5 to 10 repetitions before players exchange positions. Be sure fielder follows underhand toss before getting back into fielding position.
Indoor Line Drive
Benefits - The Indoor Line Drive drill improves fielding of line drives hit to the left or right of the fielder.
Directions - Two or more coaches should stand against one wall. The players should line up along the opposite wall. The first player should run laterally along the wall while the 1st coach throws a ball the player has to stretch for. After catching the ball, the player should stop quickly, pivot, and throw the ball back to the coach. Then, the player should move laterally to receive a throw from the next coach. The players should form new line at the other end of the room after their turn. Once all players have a turn, reverse the direction and run the drill again.
Charging
Benefits - The Charging drill improves fielding of slowly hit ground balls to the infield or outfield.
Directions – Position players in lines of 3 or more facing a tosser. The tosser should be 50 to 70 feet away. The tosser should throw a grounder so the player must charge to the midpoint to field the ball before throwing it to the tosser and going to the end of the line. Outfielders should be positioned 90 feet from tosser and should perform the drill in the same manner. For outfielders, the emphasis should be on dropping to one knee on routine grounders to ensure the ball does not get past her.
Fly Ball Pass 1
Benefits - The Fly Ball Pass 1 drill improves fielding of fly balls hit over the fielders head. It can be used for infielders or outfielders.
Directions - Players pair up standing side by side. The receiver should run out about 15 feet and the tosser should lead her with a fly ball so that she has to catch the ball over her left shoulder. After quickly getting set and throwing the ball back to the tosser, the receiver should run back to the starting position. The drill should continue with 4 more throws while increasing the distance by 15 feet each time. After 5 throws, the players should switch positions. After both players take a turn, the players should switch positions again and perform the drill with throws over the receiver’s right shoulder.
Fly Ball Pass 2
Benefits - The Fly Ball Pass 2 drill improves fielding of fly balls hit over the fielders head. It can be used for infielders or outfielders.
Directions - Players should obtain one ball each and form a line of 3 or more next to a tosser. The first player should hand her ball to the tosser and should run out to catch a ball over her left shoulder. After the catch, the receiver should sprint back to the end of the line. After 5 or more repetitions, the drill should be repeated with the balls thrown over the right shoulder.
Double Relay
Benefits - The Double Relay drill improves receiving and making relay throws.
Directions - Position 3 players in a line, evenly spaced, 50 feet apart. Player on one end should turn her back to the others, roll her ball out in front, run it down, and turn to throw to the player in the middle who should relay the throw (turning to the glove side) to the player on the other end. The player receiving the ball should turn her back and repeat the drill. After 6 throws, the player in the middle should rotate with a player on an end. The drill should continue until each player has been in the middle a specified number of times.
Infielder/Outfielder Jurisdictions
Benefits - The Infielder/Outfielder Jurisdictions drill improves communication among fielders for balls hit between two fielders.
Directions - Put fielders in defensive positions and have two tossers throw fly balls and pop ups between them. The fielder going back should normally go for the ball until called off by a fielder coming in. The fielder going back should only call for the ball when she is certain of the catch. On balls hit between the outfielders, the centerfielder is in charge. On balls hit between the shortstop and second baseman, the shortstop is in charge.
Fly Ball Over the Head
Benefits - The Fly Ball Over the Head drill improves fielders ability to run down and catch fly balls.
Directions – Position players in a line about 15 feet in front and to the right or left of the coach. The first player in line should step out to face the coach who should throw a ball over her head and to one side. The player should take a drop step and run to the ball. The coach should be sure the player runs with her glove down. Emphasis should also be put on running to a spot instead of drifting to the ball. The player should be in a position to throw the ball once the catch is made.
Force Play
Benefits - The Force Play drill improves an infielder's ability to make the throw or receive the throw for force plays.
Directions – Break players into two groups. Position one group at first base and the second group at the second base infield position. One player from each group performs the drill. The remainder of the players should step back away from the two players. Ground balls should be hit or thrown to the player at the second base position. That player should field the ball and throw it to the receiver using the Quick Snap Throw or the Underhand Throw, depending on the throwers distance from the receiver. The player at first base should receive the ball using the fundamentals described in the Receiving the Throw for the Force Out section.
Making the Tag
Benefits - The Making the Tag drill improves an infielder's ability to make the throw or receive the throw for tag plays.
Directions – Break players into two groups. Position one group at the third base infield position and the second group at the short stop infield position. One player from each group performs the drill. The remainder of the players should step back away from the two players. Ground balls should be hit or thrown to the player at the short stop position. That player should field the ball and throw it to the receiver using the Quick Snap Throw or the Underhand Throw, depending on the throwers distance from the receiver. The player at third base should receive the ball using the fundamentals described in the Receiving the Throw for the Tag Out section.