Baseball drill

Barehand finger squeeze catching drill

Name: EASY Baseball Catch Drill for Youth Baseball Players
Channel: Bay Island Baseball
Description: A coach kneels a few feet away and tosses soft balls to a player's raised bare hand, and the player catches each one in the fingers and squeezes. It teaches young players where the ball should land and when to close the hand, before a glove does it for them.

A coach kneels a few feet away and tosses soft balls to a player's raised bare hand, and the player catches each one in the fingers and squeezes. It teaches young players where the ball should land and when to close the hand, before a glove does it for them.

Video by Bay Island Baseball on YouTube. The write-up below is ours.

At a glance

Sport: Baseball and Softball
Skill: Catching the ball
Ages: 6U to 10U
Players: 2 (a coach or parent and a player)
Time: About 5 minutes
Level: Beginner
Equipment: Assorted soft balls: foam balls, tennis balls, wiffle balls or bean bags
Indoors: Yes

A glove works like a hand: it closes when the ball hits the right spot. Young players who catch with the ball slamming into the heel of the hand will have balls pop out of the glove the same way. This drill teaches the right spot, the fingers and upper palm, and the right moment to squeeze, right as the ball touches.

It uses only soft balls, so there is nothing to be afraid of, and mixing the types of ball keeps a short session interesting. It is a good one for parents at home as well as a station at practice.

Setup

Gather soft balls of a few kinds: foam baseballs, tennis balls, wiffle balls, small bean bags. No hard balls.
The player stands without a glove about 5 to 6 feet from the tosser.
The tosser kneels on one knee so the tosses arrive at the player's eye level.

How to run it

The player raises the bare glove-side hand near the shoulder, fingers relaxed and open.
Toss gently underhand right at the raised hand.
The player watches the ball into the top half of the hand and squeezes the fingers shut on it.
As the ball arrives the hand gives a little rather than pushing forward.
Toss the ball back to the player's hand again, 10 to 15 times, changing the kind of ball now and then.

Coaching points

Fingers and upper palm, not the heel of the hand, where the ball bounces out.
Time the squeeze for the moment the ball touches, the way a glove closes.
Let the ball come to the hand. No jabbing at it.
Drops are part of learning the timing. Keep it positive.

Common mistakes

Using a hard ball. A sting teaches the player to pull the hand away.
Holding the fingers stiff and wide, so the ball hits the palm and bounces off.
Squeezing too early, before the ball arrives, or too late, after it has bounced.

Printable drill card

Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.

Print the drill card

Smaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).

By age

Tee ball

Bean bags and big foam balls first; they are easy to grab. Keep the tosses short and slow.

Coach pitch and 10U

Use tennis balls and smaller soft balls, toss to a few different spots around the hand, then do the same catches with the glove on.

Next: Free defensive lineup generator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should the ball land when catching?

In a bare hand, the fingers and upper palm. In a glove, the web and upper pocket rather than the heel. A ball that lands in the heel of the hand or glove tends to pop out.

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