How to teach and coach youngsters to field and catch a baseball using baseball fielding drills

Teach young players how to catch the ball correctly.

Have each player lay flat on his or her back. Have a coach stand over each player with a ball. Explain to the player that if the ball is above their hips they should catch the ball with the fingers up and if the ball is below the waist the should catch the ball with their fingers down. Then have the catch drop the ball into the player’s glove from different positions. This will help the player under stand proper glove technique.

To provide players with an opportunity to field a large number of ground balls.

Drill has one fielder, who stands 40-60 feet in front of the hitter (depending on their age), and one shagger, who stands on the right side of the hitter. (Three person groups.) Drill can have as many groups as desired.

The hitter hits 10 ground balls to the fielder. The field fields the ground balls and throws them to the shagger. After fielding 10 ground balls, the fielder becomes the shagger, the shagger becomes the hitter, and the hitter becomes the new fielder. The drill continues to proceed in this manner for as long as desired.

This is a good drill for getting a lot of grounders in, in a short amount of time.

1.) To improve the players overall conditioning. 2.) To improve the player's ability to move laterally and to assume a good defensive position in fielding a ground ball.

The drill has one tosser and one player, who are 6-7 feet apart facing each other. (Pairs) Drill can have as many groups as desired.

The tosser rolls a ball about 5-6 feet out to the side. The player moves on a semicircular path to field the ball. After picking-up the ball, the player throws the ball back to the tosser. The tosser then rolls a ball about 5-6 feet out to the opposite side, and the player fields the ball in a similar manner. The drill sequence is repeated from five to 10 times depending on the player's conditioning level. The number of repetitions is increased as the players conditioning level improves.

It is important for the player to field the ball by moving on a semicircular path in order for the drill to be effective.

Works on the outfield keeping stopping the ball and making the throw into the infield. Works on base-running and sliding.

Line up three, four or five players at the following positions. Right field, first base, and third base.

The player's at first base take turns as base-runners and try to make it safely to third base. On the coaches signal, the player from first takes of, heading for third base. Every time the running gets to third base they need to go in sliding. The coach hits the ball behind the runner to the right fielder, the right fielder makes the stop and try's to throw the runner out at third. The third baseman needs to stop the ball and make a low tag. Rotate the players after each turn. Player plays the same position - runner, right field or third base, through two rotations, before moving to another position.

Great for working the infield quickly and warming up and teaching players how to back up the throw. (If you can't see the player making the throw, you are to close to back up the play).

Position a player at each infield position excluding pitcher and shortstop. Each base excluding the catcher has a backup who is positioned behind the base. Begin the drill with the catcher throwing to first, first throws to second, second throws to home. Continue around five or more times seeing how quickly they can get the ball around. Then reverse and go from home to third, to second to first and back home.

To help players learn to read the trajectory of a pitched ball.

Set players up at all three bases. They are independent of each other because each base has different rules for a ball in the dirt. A coach pitches from the mound and mixes in good and bad pitches to the catcher. Any time a ball is about to bounce the whole team yells "DIRT". This helps you make sure everyone in paying attention. Baserunners on first should automatically go when the ball is in the dirt. Runners on second should react to the ball in the dirt by getting a good lead and deciding if they can make third safely. If the ball gets away from a the catcher they should go, if the catcher digs the ball out of the dirt, they should return to second. Runners at third should follow the same principles as the runner at second, get a good lead, gets a crow hop as the ball nears the catcher and then react to the weather the catcher digs the ball out of the dirt or not.

To simulate throw under game conditions. Works on proper execution of throwing and relay mechanics.

Divide the team into groups of four. Place members of each group between 60 and 90 feet apart depending on age. Place first person on the first base foul line and spread the balance of player towards left field. Infielders should be in the middle two "relay men" positions so they can practice relay moves. Player at the beginning of the line have a ball. On coaches command player throw the ball down and back a predetermined number of times. If an overthrow occurs or relay man is missed, the ball must be returned and the throw made accurately before ball can be advanced. The winning group is the group who throws the ball down and back the predetermined number of times the fastest. The "relay men" should turn to their glove hand side.

To reinforce the mechanics of throwing and to teach players to pick up a dead ball with their throwing hand.

Place players in single file at third base, shortstop, second base and home. Place a two coaches at first base. Place balls at each infield position and in front of home plate. Place balls in normal fielding positions. The third baseman starts the drill by picking up a "dead ball", crow hopping and throwing to first base, the shortstop follows the third baseman, then second base, followed by home plate. The coach at first base receiving the throws should roll the ball back to the thrower. The thrower will place the ball in its proper position and go to the back of the line. Rotate player groups from position to position after each player has thrown two or three times.