Softball drill
Fence drill
The hitter stands close to a cage net or fence, so a long, looping swing would hit it, and takes swings at front toss without touching it. It teaches a short, inside path to the ball and stops casting.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Hitting
- Ages
- 10U to High school
- Players
- 2 (a hitter and a tosser)
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- A batting cage net or chain-link fence, An L-screen, A bucket of balls, Bat and helmet, A batting tee (optional)
- Indoors
- Yes
Casting is when the hands push away from the body at the start of the swing, so the barrel takes a long way around to the ball. Hitters who cast get jammed on inside pitches and hit a lot of balls off the end of the bat.
A net or fence right behind the hitter is an honest coach: a cast swing hits it, and a short one does not. In the video the hitter stands by the side of the cage and hits front toss, with the hands staying close to the body. It is a cage drill, so it works all winter.
Setup
- Stand the hitter in their stance with the net or fence behind them, close enough that a long swing would brush it.
- Start them a little farther away and choked up slightly; move them closer as the swing gets shorter.
- The tosser kneels or sits behind an L-screen about 12 to 15 feet in front, ready for front toss.
How to run it
- The hitter takes a slow dry swing to check that the bat clears the net.
- The tosser feeds a firm underhand strike to the middle of the plate.
- The hitter takes the hands straight to the ball, elbows close to the body, so the barrel turns inside the net.
- They drive the ball on a line back toward the tosser.
- Take 5 to 8 swings, then step back to normal stance distance for a few swings with the same short path.
Coaching points
- Hands go to the ball first; the barrel follows. That is what keeps it off the net.
- Keep the back elbow close to the body as the swing starts.
- Turn the body to swing the bat; do not lean away from the net to make room.
- Make sure the hitter stays at the same spot. Hitters drift away from the net between swings.
- Line drives up the middle are the goal, not slow swings that only avoid the net.
Common mistakes
- Casting the hands out at the start, so the bat hits the net.
- Leaning away from the net instead of turning, which ruins posture.
- Slowing the swing down so much that it no longer looks like a game swing.
- Standing so close at the start that every swing hits the net and the hitter gets discouraged.
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 cardSmaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).
By age
10U and 12U
Start off a tee next to the net, and use soft balls if front toss comes too close to the fence. Move to slow front toss once the bat clears the net.
14U and up
Move as close as the hitter can manage, toss firmer, and mix in inside pitches, which are the ones a long swing cannot reach.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What if the hitter keeps hitting the fence?
Move them a few inches farther away, choke up an inch, and take slow dry swings until they feel the hands staying close to the body. Then move back in.
Can the fence drill be done off a tee?
Yes. A tee is a good way to start it, since the hitter can focus on the path before adding the timing of a toss.
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